Recipes

March 13, 2023 Europe

Frenchie Wine Bar (Frenchie Bar à Vins)

We have a trusted foodie friend who knows Paris like the back of his hand. A couple years ago he sent us a list of his favorite restaurants in Paris ("THE LIST"). We've been slowly working our way through it these past few years (Le Baudelaire, La Dame de Pic, Pertinence, just to name a few) . One highly recommended place on "THE LIST" is 1-Michelin starred Frenchie Restaurant.

We've tried numerous times to book this place, but it is SO HARD to get a reservation on short notice. However, we heard that its more casual cousin, Frenchie Bar à Vins (aka Frenchie Wine Bar), didn't take reservations. That means we still had a shot if we showed up really, really early.

French people eat kind of late anyway, but we didn't want to take any chances. We showed up right around 6:30PM (their opening time) and were able to grab a lovely outdoor seat.

At that time (back in May 2022), we were still a bit nervous about Covid, so we welcomed the opportunity to eat outside.

After all, the inside tables were very, very crowded (and loud).

And the food? It was excellent. The ingredients were fresh, the execution was at a very high level, and the service was good as well.

Frenchie Bar à Vins' motto is "Everything I want to Eat . . . Everything."

I pretty much agree with it.

Rustic ribbon-like pasta with meat sauce, beautiful fire-grilled vegetables, a perfectly executed piece of chicken - what's not to love??

Frenchie Bar à Vins is certainly a place I would return to over and over again, especially if I can score an outside table. [I'm still not a huge fan of loud and crowded restaurants where I have trouble talking to the person sitting across from me]

In fact, I liked it so much I did book (successfully!) Frenchie Covent Garden in London, which was great. For some reason, it was easier to get the London reservation.

Highly recommended! Show up early!

Frenchie Bar a Vin (Frenchie Wine Bar)
Open 6:30PM - 11PM 7 days a week

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Che (@tinyurbankitchen)

March 12, 2023 Europe

Dublin Ireland Trip Report

Starting maybe around 2010 I started making an internal personal goal to visit at least one new location (preferably a new country!) a year. Perhaps I noticed I was constantly just going back to the same places over and over (e.g., Japan, UK), and I wanted to try to expand beyond that.

Throughout that next decade, I kept up pretty well until I moved to Hong Kong in 2017, adding Mainland China (2010), Greece (2011), Australia and New Zealand (2012), Thailand (2013), Argentina, Uraguay, and Malaysia (2014), Piedmont and Bordeaux (2015), Denmark, Norway, and Spain (2016), and Macau (2017).

The next few years, since we were based in Hong Kong, my new travel locations were mostly new cities in Mainland China, such as Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Xishuangbanna.

And then Covid hit . . . and nobody traveled for quite some time. (We actually got stuck in Belgium for 7 weeks, and I did manage to take a weekend trip to Amsterdam, adding one new country in 2020).

After being stuck in Hong Kong for 18 months, we finally started traveling again in late 2021. I visited my first new country "post-Covid" in the summer of 2022, where I went to Dublin (and Ireland!) for the first time.

Perhaps it's because Boston has such a large Irish population, I felt very much at home in Dublin. It reminded me so much of Boston, I actually felt a bit homesick and nostalgic while walking around the streets (especially compared with Hong Kong where I currently live!).

We spent a week in Dublin, and had a solid weekend to do some sightseeing. Here's a brief summary of places we visited, my thoughts, and (of course), some food recs.

Must-see Sites in Dublin, Ireland

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I think the most impressive thing to see is the Book of Kells inside Trinity College.

This massive library is breathtaking (and will close soon for renovations). Definitely pre-book tickets, since popular time slots may sell out.

Christchurch and St. Patrick's Cathedral are both insanely historic and both are worth seeing. If you only have time to see one, most people recommend Christchurch, which is slightly older and has a fascinating collection of items to see, including a 14th century copy of the Magna Carta. I personally enjoyed both very much.

If you have time, the Dublin Castle (current seat of the government) is also interesting (though I'd pick the two churches over the castle if you are short on time).

Places that I didn't get to visit but would be on my list if I returned include the Irish Emigration Museum (which I heard was really, really good), Guinness Storehouse, and a longer trip to see the Cliffs of Moher.

Favorite Foods from Dublin

Murphy's Ice Cream is the best ice cream in town and there's almost always a line. I went back multiple times during my very short visit. Definitely try the sea salt (one of my favorites).

The Vintage Kitchen serves large portions of well-executed Irish farm-to-table food at very reasonable prices. It's popular, so book early!

Fallon & Byrne is a lovely market and restaurant concept.

It's split into three sections: a lower level wine cellar with pasta, pizzas, and tapas; a gourmet market on the ground floor; and a restaurant on the upper floor that served larger plates, European style food.

We fell in love with the wine cellar in the lower level, and came back multiple times.

We also enjoyed Bar Italia Ristorante, a pleasant Italian restaurant right on the river in a convenient central location.

It was tough to eat Irish food every day, so we did intersperse it with plenty of Italian food, if you haven't noticed.

Even at a wine bar, of course you can get Guinness as well.

Speaking of Guinness . . .

Dublin's Most Famous Beers and Whiskeys

The two most famous alcohol makers are Guinness (Beer) and Jameson (Whiskey). We signed up for a whiskey tasting tour at Jameson, which was really fun.

Our tour guide was great, and it was fun to try several different whiskeys as well. The brewery is nicely designed and teaches you a lot about the history of the brand and the family behind it all.

Dingle Whiskey Bar is a great place to try very local whiskeys.

Darkey Kelly's is a very traditional bar with live music and lots of fun.

It is here that I learned about a whole subculture of Irish protest songs that everyone knows how to sing. I also learned the proper way to pour a Guinness, and also drink it.

Temple Bar is a well known neighborhood full of bars, pubs, and a really active night life. Our hotel was very close to this area, so we walked by in most evenings.

Day Trip: Kilkenny and Wicklow

We signed up for a bus tour with Paddywagon Tours to go to Kilkenny and Glendalough in Wicklow. Unfortunately, they oversold the tour and needed to "kick off" three extra people from that tour (which ended up including us). We were pretty unhappy with the company, who was being difficult in their unwillingness to compensate us adequately for something that was clearly their fault. The best they could offer was a shorter tour later in the afternoon that just went to the closer location. Sadly, we lost the chance to see Kilkenny.

Thankfully, Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains was beautiful. This is the site of an ancient, monastic settlement. Despite our bad experience in the morning, our tour guide was actually good. I think the tour guides are put in a tough spot when the corporation oversells tours, since it's not the tour guide's fault, but they have to deal with it.

We really enjoyed the ability to get out into the countryside of Ireland, which is just so beautiful.

All in all, I found Dublin to be a very pleasant and comfortable place to visit. Of course, the fact that they speak English helped a lot. Also, it just really felt so familiar, and at time I felt like I was walking through Cambridge or Boston.

The countryside is stunning, and I'd love to see more of it. If I ever come back, I certainly wish to spend more time exploring places like Kilkenny and the Cliffs of Moher!

March 9, 2023 Europe

Palazzo Parigi Milan, Italy

This post is part of a larger series about our trip to Italy, including 2 Days in Milan, La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi, Birthday Weekend in Florence, Day Trip to the Chianti Classico Region, and A Week in the Italian Alps.

One of my "signature dishes" that I often cook for guests is Milanese Osso Buco. I make everything from scratch, and the dish takes hours to make. Bryan loves it, and it has even become our traditional to eat that dish every Valentine's Day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Che (@tinyurbankitchen)

So imagine my surprise when I actually arrived in Milan itself . . . and realized that I had been making it all wrong.

OK, perhaps I am slightly exaggerating, but we visited multiple restaurants in Milan, and every place that had osso buco served the veal shank with a rich, golden sauce. No bright lemony gremolata to put on the top, no tomatoes in the sauce.

At Palazzo Parigi, a beautiful fine dining restaurant inside the hotel with the same name, the osso buco came with a crispy risotto.

But guess what? We discovered we LOVED crispy risotto (what's not to like? hehe). This Milan version was richer, but it was fantastic.

We were in Italy during white truffle season, so we certainly had to try some white truffles. Milan is not too far from Alba (when we visited Alba's famous white truffle festival we actually flew from Milan), so there's plenty of white truffles everywhere.

Pasta is a must-order in Italy, and the pasta in Milan was great.

I was surprised at the generous portion of vegetables we got!

A Great First Day

What a great way to spend our first evening in Milan! We were especially thankful to Bryan's co-worker, an enthusiastic Milan local who happens to love food and her city. She was thrilled to give us recommendations for all sorts of places to visit. If only we could have stayed in Milan for more days! We're glad we got to try Palazzo Parigi, one of her top choices.

Palazzo Parigi Milan Italy
Corso di Porta Nuova,
1 - 20121 Milano
tel: +39 02 625625
email: [email protected]

February 28, 2023 Europe

Ricard Camarena Valencia Spain

We circled the block twice, walking right by the closed gate leading to the restaurant ”grounds”, before finally finding the entrance to this spectacular restaurant by Chef Ricard Camarena, certainly one of the most well-known and beloved chefs in Valencia.

Chef Camarena runs a group of restaurants in Valencia. We fell in love with his more casual Central Bar at the Central Market (and actually went twice during our short trip).

His flagship eponymous restaurant has two Michelin Stars and also a Michelin Green star. The chef’s commitment to sustainability and not wasting any part of an ingredient is a central core belief, which can be seen and felt throughout the entire meal.

Dining at Ricard Camarena is like an adventure. The journey begins in the front ”wine library” where you sit down to enjoy a few small bites and a ”mocktail”.

snap peas & vanilla mock tail — A snap peas & vanilla mocktail.

As we sat down and admired the surrounding space, another server came by and offered us another bite: anchovy + cracker

onion butter - 1 bite — “Onion Butter: Please enjoy this in one bite.”

After enjoying our first few bites, our server walked us into a modern looking dining room with tables spread far apart. Perhaps this is because we were dining in the middle of the pandemic; perhaps they just give diners space. In any event, we enjoyed our private little space in the corner.

At the Counter

As soon as we put down our things, our server asked us to get back up so that we could visit another chef standing at a counter on the other side of the dining area.

He explained each dish, emphasizing their zero waste philosophy.

”For the zucchini, we first put some salt, sugar, and olive oil and we roast in the oven. When it is cooked, we open it and removed the inside, but we don’t throw it out. We keep it for another application.”

The zucchini outer ”shell” was stuffed with steak tartare and topped with ricotta and raspberry. "Please eat in one bite." (seems to a common theme early on in this meal)

We stayed standing at the counter. We could now see that more and more diners were coming into the dining area from the wine library.

The chef handed us a small pour of a beautiful savory consomme. We also tasted a mochi-like dumpling filled with vegetable “scraps” leftover from other dishes, such as the zucchini insides from the prior dish, onion, eggplant, and more.

Finally, he sliced for us a piece of a 3-4 month dried tuna belly, which looked almost like steak.

After our very educational (and tasty!) experience at the counter, we returned to our seats for the rest of the meal.

Appetizers

shrimp w/ perigord caviar, feta cheese, lentil caviar — Shrimp with Perigord caviar, feta cheese, and lentil caviar.

kohlrabi w/ sea bass mousse
yum! — I absolutely loved the next dish: thin kohlrabi slices layered with a sea bass mousse and topped with raw slices of seabass and toasted sunflower seeds.

“blini” pancake w/ caviar
asparagus w/ coffee cream
green asparagus green/ caviar cream and coconut cream- unusual combo, not bad but i am not used to it — This next course was eye dazzling with its copious amounts of caviar on top of blini pancakes. Another plate had baby green asparagus served with a coffee cream, an unusual combo that was not bad, but I was not used to it. Finally, sea beans ( atype of seaweed).

Bread

Seafood

Valencia oyster, cream sauce — For the next course, we enjoyed a big, meaty Valencia oyster served in a cream sauce.

preserved tomato 🍅 1-1.5 years — Next, the server explained to us about Ricard Camarena’s special preserved tomato, which are typically preserved for 1-1.5 years. The resultant flavor is intense and deep. You can buy a jar for 25 Euros if you want to take one home.

preserved tomato 🍅 1-1.5 years
sheeps milk, zata’ar — We enjoyed some of this very special preserved tomato topped with sheeps milk and a sprinkling of zata’ar.

Fish Course

Next, sweet roasted onion with tuna belly.

sweet roasted onion with tuna belly (added umami), — The tuna belly added a nice umami to the dish.

Rice

Beef Course??

beef consommé, peas,
wild strawberries, coffee oil, — One of my favorite surprises was that the ”meat course” turned out to be this beef consommé, served with fresh peas, wild strawberries, and coffee oil. So unusual, yet it worked so well.

Desserts

miso, eggplant — Our bridging course to dessert was this miso ice cream served with eggplant! It surprisingly worked well even though it was more like a dessert.

palate cleansers - zucchini peel, seeds, citrus sorbet — Finally, our refreshing palate cleansers included zucchini peel, seeds, and a citrus sorbet.

beetroot, strawberries, fennel frond ice cream — Local wild strawberries took center stage in this next course, served with beetroot, fennel frond, and a snow-like ice cream.

Their interperation of ”gingerbread cake” came with light crispy crackers, pumpkin, yogurt, and toasted crunchy buckwheat clusters.

For a more unusual after dinner drink, the server recommended a Luis Felipe tequila, a well-known tequila from Mexico that is aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels.

Luis Felipe are popular among tequila connoisseurs and are often enjoyed as sipping tequilas due to their complex and rich flavors.

pumpkin ginger
pumpkin sweet potato mochi
brown sauce coffee cannoli (liquid center!)
almond cake , lemon sauce

For a final bite: pumpkin ginger pumpkin cookie sandwich, a sweet potato mochi dumpling, coffee cannoli (with a liquid center!), and an almond cake with lemon sauce.

General Thoughts - Ricard Camarena

This was my favorite meal in Valencia. I personally loved how light it was, and how it went against the normal flow and mold of a tasting menu. Who would ever think of serving peas (albeit, in a clear beef consomme) as the final course? I loved how fruits and vegetables took center stage, and how most of the protein came in the form of seafood. I never would have guessed it, but that small amount of steak tartare inside the zucchini that we had at the counter would be the largest piece of ”meat” that we would eat the entire meal.

Perhaps this type of meal is not for everyone, especially those people looking for hearty meat dishes. This is more of a meal that showcases Chef Camerena’s appreciation (and celebration!) of Spain’s rich produce. It showcases his creativity in how he expresses these flavors while honoring sustainability. Finally, I just had a lot of fun at the meal. The staff were super friendly. The exploration of different flavor combinations and different bites was unexpected yet delightful.

Highly recommended.

Practical Details

Booking can be done online but they do require a credit card. If you don’t show up or if you cancel in less than 12 hours, you’ll be charged a 200€ per person fee.

Give yourself plenty of time to arrive. As mentioned above, we actually walked past the front gate a few times because the entrance is unobtrustive and easy to miss.

Ricard Camerena
Av. de Burjassot, 54, 46009
València, Valencia, Spain

February 15, 2023 Europe

chez Alain Miam Miam - Best sandwich in Paris France

I love a good French baguette.

However, I’m also not a purist when it comes to sandwiches because I actually love a toasted sandwich (or pressed sandwich). I know you’re not supposed to toast bread unless if it’s stale, but I just really, really love toast.

This is why I was thrilled to discover Chez Alain Miam Miam, a sandwich shop whose most famous sandwich is full of high quality ingredients and is toasted!

I made a special trip out to this place just to try their sandwich.

The old traditional Parisian market that houses this shop, Marche des Enfants Rouge, is itself is worth a visit. It's filled with vendors selling fresh produce, beautiful cuts of meat, fresh seafood, and more. There are cheese shops around the corner, chocolate shops, and more. You're really in gourmet foodie heaven.

But don't get too distracted, since you want to arrive at the popular eateries before the lines get too long.

Buckwheat Galettes

Yes, I was supposed to be here for the sandwich but . . . when I arrived I got distracted. I realized they ALSO make another favorite dish . . . Buckwheat GALETTES!

I was so torn. I was there alone. There was no way I could eat both things (they are HUGE).

Alas, I couldn’t decide, so I did decide to get both. (!)

I started with the galettes, which was filled with Comte cheese, roasted onions, and jambon (jam). It was delicious (I think their roasted onions is one of their “secret” ingredients”), but huge and very very heavy. I could only eat about ⅕ of it.

Round 2: the famous sandwich

After enjoying my galette, I went back up to the stand and ordered a sandwich. They must have thought I was crazy, but they obliged.

I was mesmerized by the sandwich-making process. They take so much care in making the sandwiches! Each sandwich takes some time to make, which is why the lines can get really, really long. One blog post I read said lines can reach up to two hours during peak season. I showed up at 11:00AM on a weekday in the middle of November. There was no line at all.

Swipe to the right in the Instagram post to see the video of the sandwich making.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Che (@tinyurbankitchen)

I loved the sandwich -- a perfect mixture of “all the veggies”, ham, Comte cheese, and roasted onions all toasted on their fantastic bread. The sandwich is huge, and can easily be shared between two smaller eaters. I was so, so sad that I was by myself. There was no way I could finish it. I enjoyed about half of it, and then (sadly) carried it with me for a few more hours before finally tossing it.

So sad . . . Next time I must bring Bryan with me. The sandwich is really so, so good.

Highly highly recommended! Show up early if you don’t want to wait. There isn’t really a place to sit, so you’ll have to eat the sandwich while walking down the street. Good luck. It’s a bit messy, but totally worth it.

chez Alain Miam Miam
Marche des Enfants Rouge

January 16, 2023 Europe

La Salita Valencia Spain

Out of all the restaurants we visited in Valencia, La Salita was certainly the most hyped and most famous. Chef Begoña Rodrigo is talented, creative, and known for being bold and unconventional. She was the first winner of Top Chef Spain (in 2014), and has gone on to win numerous awards and accolades, including 1 Michelin star for La Salita.

During the pandemic Chef Rodrigo did something bold. She decided to only open La Salita on weekdays. On weekends, the same space would transform into L’Hort al Nú (which serves more casual, traditional fare).

It was a different team that worked on weekdays and weekends. This model allowed people to be able to take time off, which she thought was something that was very important.

Our meal at La Salita certainly delivered on surprising us with creative bites, dramatic presentation, and a multitude of textures, flavors, and expressions of ideas.

Cocktails

Even before we got our first drink, we were distracted by what almost looked like a magic show by server pouring a cocktail for a guest. La Salita is known for its crazy cocktails. So, even though I am usually not a huge cocktail person, we both began our meal with a cocktail.

Welcoming Bites

Next came a dizzying array of small, creative bites, each with its own set of unique flavor combinations and textures.

papadum w/ chevril and pickled roe — “Papadum“ - like shell with chevril and pickled fish roe.

carrot soppresata sandwich — Carrot soppresata mini sandwich

A creative take on Caprese: tomato + basil + meringue

squid, pickled cauliflower, curry and parsley pesto — Squid + ink, pickled cauliflower, curry and parsley pesto

Tasting Menu

And then the official tasting menu begins, though it’s all really a seamless experience.

"onion" (like creme brulee) — We begin with a beautiful savory onion custard, not unlike a creme brulee.

Spanish consommé with white bean/codfish cake — A beautiful Spanish consommé made with white bean and codfish.

The Super Memorable Bread Course

One of my favorite courses was actually the phenomenal house made foccacia, topped with a generous pour of fantastic Spanish olive oil. I couldn’t get enough if it, and easily polished off my whole half of the loaf of bread (even though I knew I was going to get full way too fast . … couldn’t resist!

Signature Dish

tomato + tuna, basil oil (La Tiara) — One of their signature dishes, named “La Tiara” (the crown) is stunningly presented with edible flowers, radish, herbs, and a bright green basil oil.

spider crab, jalapeños, fennel and tomato water (jelly) spider crab, jalapeños, bechamel of its corals and winter flowers, fennel jelly?? — A piece of abstract art, the next course consisted of spider crab, jalapeños, fennel, and winter flowers embedded in a tomato water jelly.

Kombu-wrapped fish with pine nut sauce.

lobster royale with its juice, tapioca pearls and smoked lobster meat — Lobster royale with its juice, tapioca pearls and smoked lobster meat.

custard with roe — Custard topped with roe.

“Grains” or ”Pasta” courses

smoked eel “All i Pebre”
eel israeli cous cous, apples, aoli, onion in the form of a cookie — Smoked “All i Pebre” eel, Israeli cous cous, apples, aoli, and onion in the form of a cookie.

eel israeli cous cous, apples, aoli, onion in the form of a cookie

Yolk, green peas, almond, caviar — A savory meusli of sorts, complete with egg yolk, green peas, almond, and caviar.

white truffles (Jan to May) with a salsify carbonara; root and truffle — These white truffles are seasonal from January to May, so we were able to enjoy them with a salsify (root) carbonara.

“Meat + Potatoes”

The final meat course was a mini Steak Wellington.

Robuchon mashed potatoes? — This came with a small but decadent mini pot of ultra creamy ”Robuchon” mashed potatoes.

54 degrees steak "pithivier" — The meat is cooked at 54 degrees. We wished it was just a bit more rare.

Sweets

lemon cookie? gin tonic cream, lemon cookie — Palate cleanser was a lemon cookie with gin tonic cream.

wild strawberries, raspberry, and Sichuan pepper — Next up, wild picked strawberries (look how small they are!) with raspberry and Sichuan pepper!

A sweet Spanish red wine given it’s own category as a ”noble wine” because it achieves its high alcohol content naturally.

General Thoughts - La Salita Valencia Spain

I love eating in Spain, and La Salita was a very nice experience. The food was creative, beautiful, and there were several delightful surprises. The service was exceptionally friendly, and the overall experience was fun.

I especially liked how light the meal felt, with almost all seafood courses except for the last one. One of our knowledgeable foodie friends told us the vegetarian tasting menu was amazing. Maybe next time!

I wouldn’t say the food was transcendent or blew my mind, but it was all very well executed and very, very good. Definitely one of the best restaurants we visited in Valencia, though not my number one favorite (that post, coming soon!).

When we came, this place only opened on weekdays, so it may be more difficult to book since there are limited slots. It is also one of the hottest restaurants, and the one that was recommended to me the most.

Book early! If you’re coming for several days, definitely make this one of your meals. If I come back, I’ll try to vegetarian tasting menu next!

La Salita Valencia Spain
C/ Pere III El Gran, 11B
46005 Valencia.

Teléfono: 609330760

December 29, 2022 Europe

El Poblet Valencia Spain -2 Michelin Stars

El Poblet is the original name of Quique Dacosta's (now 3-Michelin star) eponymous restaurant in Dénia. Chef Luís Valls, who worked side by side with Quique Dacosta for years, is now the executive chef at this "new" El Poblet, located in Valencia, which boasts two Michelin stars.

We dined here as a party of four, including three people who were in town doing lots of business dinners. In fact, one person had just come to the same restaurant the night before. The restaurant was very accommodating and flexible, designing for him a separate tasting menu so he wouldn't have to eat the same food twice.

Original Vermouth

Vermouth original recipe - only 3 people know

We began by trying an "antica formula", the original Vermouth recipe developed by Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786 that has been kept secret for hundreds of years. Only three people in the world know this heavily guarded secret. Vermouth lovers praise its complex flavors. On the rocks, I personally found it way too sweet. It's almost like a syrup. Perhaps it would be quite good in certain cocktails.

Bread + Amuse Bouche

liquid filled mushroom beignet
chase it with mushroom lapchong tea

Our first bite was a liquid-filled mushroom beignet, which we "chased" with an intensely flavorful mushroom lapchong tea. Such a surprising but stunning pairing!

Delicious bread with fragrant extra virgin olive oil.

amazing crab + uni? "cappuccino" soooo good

Next was "Albufera Crabs", a delicate "sandwich" made with paper thin crackers and a crab flavored creamy sauce in the center. We also sipped on a mind-blowing savory crab + uni "cappuccino" that was ingenious and insanely delicious.

Termanthia 2012: Fantastic Spanish wine from the Toro region. Wine Spectator 95 points.

Vegetables

Our next course was white asparagus with miso noisette butter.

miso
noisette butter
white asparagus
salted 24 hours and with sea lettuce

The asparagus was salted for 24 hours with sea lettuce (shown above).

kumquat, grapefruit-like fruit, pumpkin, oyster, surprisingly tart,

Les Perles (oysters), pickled pumpkin, kumquat, grapefruit

"Les Perles" (oysters) came served with pickled pumpkin, kumquat, and grapefruit. The dish was surprisingly tart.

Kumquats graced the table as we ate our course which included kumquats.

These beautiful, ultra thin layers of potato are certainly a work of art.

Seafood: Fish + Eel + Cuttlefish

A perfectly seared piece of fish with the ultimate crispy skin.

This next course, called Reed and Mud, involved cooking eel inside clay!

The server brought over the clay covered eel, and tapped on it with a spoon, breaking open the clay shell table-side.

Reeds and Mud (eel cooked in clay and smashed open) — Wow!

Cuttlefish and Charred Bomba Rice (similar to arborio rice) was next, topped with some shaved koji (see below).

Koji is rice that has been inoculated with some sort of fermentation culture. The resultant rice has quite a bit of umami and flavor. Here, they took a whole block of koji and grated its powder on top of our dish.

Meat Course: Duck

Llimonea Blue Duck — "Llimonea" Blue Duck

Served with "crackers".

"Dessert"

Our first "dessert" was actually more savory: a pepper and sheep’s milk ice cream that was surprisingly spicy!

Our second dessert, "Carob, Coffee, Whiskey."

Pinetrees and Pine Cones (choclate, not actual pine cones!)

A super cute dessert: Pinetrees and Pine Cones (made out of chocolate, not actual pine cones!).

What a treat as a way to end. 1969 Old Pulteney single Highland scotch whiskey.

Tasting Menus

There are three types of tasting menus. We went with the Territori Tasting Menu.

Territori Tasting Menu
135 EURO (10% VAT included)
wine pairing: 75 EURO

Ciutat Vella Tasting Menu
160 EURO (10% VAT included)
The Territori plus an additional cured meats course, extra meat course, and extra dessert course
wine pairing: 95 EURO

Bespoke Menu
98 EURO (10% VAT included)
Snacks, 2 courses, dessert, petit fours
(only available Tues &Thurs Lunch + dinner; Friday lunch)

General Thoughts: El Poblet Valencia

The meal at El Poblet was excellent, and frankly, an amazing value for the price (generally true of Spain!). The service was friendly and professional. I really enjoyed the many creative expressions, and there were certainly many "wow" dishes, such as the crab + uni cappuccino and the mushroom lapchong tea + beignet combo. All in all, a wonderful meal in a quiet, relaxing space.

El Poblet Valencia
to make a reservation

December 9, 2022 Europe

MercatBar by Quique Dacosta - Valencia

Such a good deal - 6 course tasting menu for only 34,00€VAT included

This post is part of a larger series on Valencia outlined in the Valencia Trip Report.

MercatBar is one of the more casual out posts of well-known celebrity chef Quique Dacosta's restaurant empire in Valencia. The words "mercat bar" mean "market bar." MercatBar pays tribute to the traditional tapas bars you find inside Valencia food markets (sort of like Central Bar!).

The Food

MercatBar takes that concept and modernizes it a bit, adding chef Quique Dacosta's own touch to the traditional Valencia market bar.

There are many different food options on the menu. The tapas section includes traditional tapas and "tapas from around the world" which take on global influences. There are also several main dishes, such as grilled meats, paellas, and other creative entrees.

Gargoyle Menu (off season)

During off-seasons (e.g., spring, fall), they also have a Gargoyle Menu, a multi-course tasting menu (7-8 courses total), including 3 cold starters, 3 warm tapas, a main dish, and dessert. The courses are designed to be shared, and thus the whole must get it. However, at 34€ a person, it is an absolute STEAL.

On top of that, we ordered a Robert Parker RP95 Valencian wine for less than 30€ for the whole bottle, yet another STEAL.

Below is our Gargoyle dinner.

Cream cheese with eel and mackerel
like creme brûlée with savory fish, candied almonds, sweet + savory, yummmm

We began with a creamy custard made with cream cheese, eel. and mackerel topped with a caramelized topping, candied almonds, roasted tomatoes, and herbs.

It was short of like a seafood creme brûlée, both sweet + savory, perfectly balanced, and delicious.

Mercatbar oyster
so good! cashew? edemame? EVOO, such good balance, oyster is plump and sweet

The next course, the Mercatbar oyster, was fantastic! The oyster itself was plump and sweet, and the overall flavor of the bite was perfect. Various elements such as nuts, fresh herbs, pea puree, and EVOO, came together in a perfectly balanced way.

Turkish taco with kimchi sauce and beef.

Smoked aubergine wonton and red tuna “mojama” - nice, salty, crispy, nice balance of flavors

Next was a wonton chip topped with smoked aubergine (eggplant) and red tuna “mojama”. This was a nice bite, being salty, crispy, and overall having a nice balance of flavors.

“Mercatbar” croquettes each topped with a slice of Serrano ham.

Raw cuttlefish toast “sepia”

We remembered "Air Baguettes" from our meal at Tickets Tapas Bar in Barcelona, and we wanted try MercatBar's version. So, we did order one extra a la carte course that was not on the menu. MercatBar's version came wrapped with jamon Iberico and topped with jam.

The seafood rice had lovely flavor, but I missed the crunchy "socarrat" (charred crispy bits) that you get in a paella made with a traditional pan.

Thoughts - MercatBar by Quique Dacosta

All in all, we were absolutely floored at the quality of the meal, especially for the price. The service was friendly, the outdoor seating was pleasant, and the food was great. I would come back in a heartbeat, at least for one casual meal.

MercatBar by Quique Dacosta
Joaquín Costa, 27
Valencia (Spain)

Other Restaurants by Quique Dacosta

Llisa Negra Valencia
El Poblet

December 5, 2022 Europe

La Pepica Waterfront Paella - Valencia

This post is part of a larger series on Valencia outlined in the Valencia Trip Report.

Do you know where paella originates from?

Valencia.

In fact, the authentic, most local Valencian paella is made of chicken, rabbit, snails, green beans, and garrofó beans (similar to lima beans). Interestingly, there is no seafood.

Despite trying to order the traditional local version, numerous restaurants we visited kept steering us towards seafood paellas. Sure, the seafood paellas were fantastic, but Bryan was set on at least trying the local dish once before leaving Valencia.

There are few better places to enjoy this traditional dish than at the legendary La Pepica.

La Pepica Valencia - Historic Restaurant

La Pepica is a historic, treasured beach-side restaurant that has been open since 1898 (!). They boast famous past diners, such as Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. Ernest Hemingway was a regular, and even wrote about dining at La Pepica in his memoire. They made a special vegetarian version for Queen Sofia.

We showed up early and although all of the outdoor patio seats (facing the beach) were taken, we still got pretty good indoor seats right next to the window.

Drinks

Of course, we had to get our last pitcher of agua di Valencia.

The Food

We got grilled squid as a starter. Although it was good, it wasn't as tender and amazing as the one we had our first night at Casa Ripoll.

And we finally got to try our local, authentic Valencia paella!

One pan is plenty of food for two people to share (17,50 €). The paella was very tasty, with a nice thin layer of rice and plenty of crispy socarrat (charred crust) which is always my favorite part.

The seafood versions are still my favorite, but this one was very fun to try and also delicious.

La Pepica is also famous for seafood paellas. If I come back, I would certainly love to try their seafood paella, and maybe try for a table right on the beach, overlooking the Mediterranean sea!

La Pepica Valencia
Avenida Neptuno nº 6
46011 VALENCIA

December 1, 2022 Europe

Llisa Negra Valencia Spain

This post is part of a larger series on Valencia outlined in the Valencia Trip Report.

LLisa Negra is one of the more casual outposts of the Quique Dacosta group of restaurants, serving excellent paellas, seafood, and other Valencian classics (sometimes with a fusion twist!) in a fashionable space.

Their philosophy "focuses on the product" and they work with numerous local farms to source ingredients, many of which are cooked on the large wood-fired grill. The restaurant is also located in a trendy, bustling neighborhood.

Spanish style bread service

bread service (rub tomato, garlic on bread)

We started with a classic, Spanish-style bread service, a gorgeous loaf of bread served with a raw tomato, raw garlic. We weren't exactly sure what to do, but the two guys sitting next to us were kind enough to explain to us: cut the tomato and garlic in half, rub a bit onto a slice of bread, and eat. The server also poured a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil onto the bread, which was delicious.

Salted, Cured, and Raw

Chef Quique Dacosta has a passion for salt and curing things with salt.

We tried their aged cured tuna, which was flavorful and unique.

The server highly recommended the beef tartare, which was mixed with raw eggs tableside.

It was excellent!

Wood Fired

Wood-grilled artichoke was simple but delicious. The simple preparation allowed us to really enjoy the artichoke's natural sweetness and flavor.

Paella

Interestingly, even though Valencia's local paella is made with chicken and rabbit (no seafood), it seemed like every restaurant kept recommending that we try seafood paellas instead. So, we decided to heed their advice and try the langoustine paella, topped with kimchi uni butter. It was very well executed (love that super thin layer of rice! More crispy bits!), and the langoustines were indeed extremely flavorful.

All in all, highly recommended!

LLisa Negra Valencia
Pascual y Genís 10
Valencia, 46002, Spain
link to reservations
Michelin Guide review

November 29, 2022 Europe

Central Bar by Ricard Camarena - Valencia Spain

One of the most fun things to do in Europe is to visit their traditional food markets. Many cities have a central market, and Valencia is no exception.

The Central Market in Valencia is huge and it's a joy just to walk from aisle to aisle as your eyes feast upon bountiful seafood, a dizzying array of cured meats, fresh produce and more. I highly recommend visiting!

Lunch at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena

While you're there, a great place to grab lunch is at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena (Hours: 9AM - 3PM), where you can sit at a counter and try grilled fresh seafood, Valencian classics, sandwiches, and more.

The lines can get long, but you can put your name down and wander around the market a bit while you wait.

They make a special agua de Valencia that's a tad fancier than the typical ones you see around Valencia. It's made with orange juice, cointreau, Absolut vodka, Malfy gin, and cava.

The food at Central Bar is simple but very, very fresh. Seafood is based on the fresh catch of the day. We tried some delicious gambas, which were just grilled lightly with some salt and lemon, but it was fantastic.

Deep fried oysters were fine, though a bit rich.

We were surprised to see grilled pig's ears on the menu, since we typically only eat it Asian style. This version was grilled and served with a spicy Mojo Picon sauce (9.50 EUROS). The pig ears were good, softer and "meatier" than the Asian versions I'm used to having. It was very tasty, yet quite filling!

The traditional Valencia salad includes tomato, fresh cheese, with a generous amount of olive oil.

The "Ricard Camarena" eponymous sandwich included pork loin, mustard, cheese, and onion.

Deep fried baby zucchini with zucchini flowers was lovely.

Grilled cuttlefish "a la plancha" was tasty, though just a tad bit tougher than the revelatory one I had at Casa Ripoll.

Spanish meatballs "Albóndigas" in red curry sauce was flavorful, hearty, and also quite filling!

We noticed almost every table was eating the above-pictured dish, so we asked the server about this dish, the Russian Salad. It was a creamy dipping sauce which we ate with some crackers.

Roasted miso eggplant was super soft and creamy. The sauce also had nice umami from the miso and soy sauce.

Coffee in Spain is delicious, and we love ending with a simple cortado.

Explore Central Market a bit more?

The market is fun, and it's easy to spend more than one day there. We actually ended up going there twice, and also eating at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena twice! (Haha, the above pictured dishes were eaten over two different lunches.)

You can pick up some fun food gifts to bring back home. I got some marcona almonds and cured jamon.

All in all, highly recommended!

Central Bar by Ricard Camarena

November 27, 2022 Europe

Casa Ripoll Valencia - Beachside Paella

gentleman's paella (L'arroz del Senyoret")

This post is part of a larger series on Valencia outlined in the Valencia Trip Report.

We had just landed in Valencia and didn't know the city too well. Thankfully Bryan's co-worker had done lots of homework and researched best places to eat.

He had read that one of the "must-do activities" in Valencia was to have paella on the beach. So he booked a table at a beachside restaurant for the 3 of us.

What a lovely way to start our trip!

Bryan's colleague told us we had to try "Agua de Valencia", the quintessential Valencian drink made with Valencia orange juice, vodka, gin, and cava (or champagne). We got a pitcher, and it was indeed refreshing and perfect to enjoy on the beach.

This simple grilled baby squid absolutely blew me away. It was so tender (probably really fresh), and the flavors were fantastic. Honestly speaking, I had grilled seafood (even grilled squid) at other restaurants in Valencia, but this first one turned out to be the best.

We ordered a "gentleman's paella" (L'arroz del Senyoret), called such because they shell the seafood for you, so you can eat it with a fork an knife, like a gentleman. Bryan hates getting his hands dirty, so this was totally up his alley. In fact, it was delicious, and I also appreciated not having to remove shrimp heads and such (though I'm sure some would argue that most of the flavor is in the head!).

The fried seafood was solid, but OK to skip. We were so full, we didn't even come close to finishing the fried seafood.

Another special treat was the full moon that night.

It was lovely to have a meal at Casa Ripoll Valencia. The paella was delicious, and I'll never forget the amazing grilled baby squid.

*walking for a long long time before finding a car . . .*

We did have trouble finding transportation back to our hotel. It was very difficult to call or book a cab at that hour. We eventually walked about a kilometer to another part of town before we could find a car to drive us back to our hotel. Perhaps it's best to pre-book a car?

Casa Ripoll Valencia
Calle José Ballester Gozalvo, 50
(Paseo Marítimo, modulo 7)
Playa de la Malvarosa
46011 Valencia
Telf. 608810208 - 963550022

November 23, 2022 Europe

Valencia Spain Trip Report - Itinerary

Hola Valencia!

Out of all the cities we had on our Europe itinerary this past spring, I was probably most excited about Valencia. Sure, there was the anticipation of going to a new city. But it's also because it was Spain. I have loved every single Spanish city I've ever visited.

Madrid was fascinating and full of energy. Barcelona was a food lover and artist's dream. Even side trips to places like Toledo and Montserrat were fascinating, each in its own way. We absolutely fell in love with the food mecca San Sebastian, and had been planning to go back in 2020 . . . . . .

This is all just a very long intro to explain why I was excited to finally go back to Spain. We had a fantastic time in Valencia. It's a slower-paced city on the Southern side. The weather is good, the cost of living is a bit lower, and the quality of life is excellent.

Below is a trip report, which serves as great inspiration for a potential Valencia itinerary. I've also summarized classic must-eat foods, Valencian specialties, and some of our favorites.

Food - What to Eat?

The first day we arrived we went straight to enjoy one of the most classic Valencia experiences - enjoy paella on the beach.

Bryan's colleague had booked an excellent place called Casa Ripoll. The simple grilled baby squid was the best seafood I had the entire trip. It was so fresh, perfectly tender texture, and maybe there was something about sitting on that beach.

That was my first time trying Agua de Valencia, the quintessential Valencian drink. It's sort of like a mimosa, but made with Valencia orange juice, vodka, gin, and cava (or champagne). It's very refreshing, and goes down very easily.

Although almost all restaurants will recommend their seafood paella as being the best, the traditional Valencian paella actually does not have seafood! We tried the traditional version at La Pepica, yet another very famous and delicious paella restaurant also on the beach.

It's hard to be in Spain and not try some of their local (globally famous) ham - jamon iberico. It's cheaper in Spain than anywhere else in the world. I had a plate for dinner one night dining in the outdoor patio of the Westin Valencia (my hotel).

There are several very well-known chefs in the region, and they each have their own little restaurant empire in Valencia.

Ricard Camarena

Chef Ricard Camarena’s namesake restaurant boasts 2 Michelin stars and was probably my favorite high-end meal in Valencia. I loved how he focused on bringing out the flavors of ingredients, especially vegetables.

He also has a much more casual outpost in the Central Market called ”Central Bar by Ricard Camarena.” Come early, otherwise be prepared to line up. It’s fun to try their signature (fancier) aqua de Valencia, as well as sample a bunch of different small bites. Many people around us were getting grilled seafood, Russian salad, fried zucchini flowers, tripe, and other tapas.

Quique Dacosta

Quique Dacosta is another name in town. His flagship eponymous restaurant in Denia, Spain has 3 Michelin stars and has won numerous awards. He's built an impressive number of other restaurants, and we ate at several of them.

2-Michelin star El Poblet was elegant, refined, and a nice place to enjoy a quiet, relaxing meal. Each course came with a story woven with flavors. We liked how they had different length tasting menus. We went with the medium one (6ish courses), which was perfect.

Llisa Negra is a more casual outpost serving excellent paellas, seafood, and other Valencian classics (sometimes with a fusion twist!) in a fashionable space.

The craziest deal of all was our excellent tapas tasting at MercatBar by Quique Dacosta. For only a mere 34 euros per person, we enjoyed a fantastic 6-course tasting of beautiful bites. A Robert Parker RP95 Valencian wine was only an additional 30 Euros for the bottle (!). We were blown away by the prices, though to be fair, it was an off-season price, and would disappear once the high season (summer) began.

La Salita

La Salita was probably one of the hottest restaurants that we tried. The food is creative. Chef Begoña Rodrigo experiments with flavors around the globe, and focuses a lot on vegetables (which I love). Cocktails are also wild, and the presentation of some of them is quite a show involving smoke, pouring from high places, and more.

What to See

The City of Arts & Sciences and the surrounding area is beautiful and certainly a must-visit. I jogged in the area when I could, and just took in the beautiful surroundings. It's a pretty big area, filled with several large museums and other buildings.

The old Turia River was filled in back in 1957 after a horrible flood decimated the city. It turned into a long winding park (Turia River Gardens) following the river path and separates the city into two. All the old bridges are still there! It's a joy to jog "inside" the river along this long green path. It's fun to people watch, run by orange trees, and just enjoy the vast amount of green all around.

I was so thankful to have a balcony, and I took full advantage of it, working remotely from there every morning, moving my seat around to avoid the direct sunlight throughout the day.

One of the most famous sites is the Valencia Cathedral, which supposedly holds the holy chalice/grail that Jesus used during the Last Supper. The chalice is very, very protected behind many layers of glass, but you can still visit and look at it from afar.

Opening hours: 10:30AM to 5:30PM (last entry 4:30PM)

Sometimes billed as the “Sistine Chapel” of Valencia, Parroquia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir is a stunning church to visit. The ceiling is impressive, and there's so much to explore.

Markets!

Spanish old style food markets are fascinating to visit. You can see so much phenomenal food all around, from cured jamon, cheese, and fresh fish to all sorts of produce. A highlight is dining at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena(Hours: 9AM - 3PM), where you can sit at a counter and try grilled fresh seafood, Valencian classics, sandwiches, and more.

Another cool building is La Llotja de la Seda, or the Silk Trading Room. It's worth it to get the audio guide to learn more about the history of the building.

Torres de Serranos is one of the 12 gates that used to be part of the ancient city wall in Valencia. We had lots of fun climbing the old gate and exploring its many levels.

The views are also lovely from the top.

All in all, I really really enjoyed Valencia. It's a sunny, relaxing town full of friendly people, good food, and walkable neighborhoods. I can see why people vacation and retire here. It's certainly worth a visit if you are in Spain.

November 13, 2022 Hong Kong

Stuck in Quarantine (Song)

Hi friends!

Sorry for the silence lately. I was actually a bit distracted working on a song. At the end of September, Hong Kong announced some exciting news (especially for those of us who like to travel). Finally, finally, hotel quarantine requirements would be completely lifted! We would still need to spend three days under ”medical observation”, where we could not enter restaurants, bars, or the like.

As you may know, Bryan and I endured several quarantines during these past two years, the worst one being 3 weeks hotel quarantine right before Christmas in 2021. During quarantine I started writing a song about being stuck in quarantine. I finally finished the song in October, and released it on Youtube a couple weeks ago. It shares a bit about what our quarantine experience was like.

Please enjoy! And let’s hope for 0+0 very very soon!

Jen

September 27, 2022 Belgium

VerTige Brussels

Chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre is one of the more well-known chefs in Belgium. A self-taught chef, he became well known through his use of modern cooking techniques and hyperlocal ingredients (predominantly from the restaurant's own farm) at his flagship restaurant, L'Air du Temps (two Michelin stars), located out in the "countryside" about an hour outside of Brussels.

We very much enjoyed his more casual outpost, SAN Bruxelles, the last time we were in Brussels.

SAN Bruxelles - NOW Vertige Brussels

In June 2020, SANS Bruxelles closed and became VerTige. VerTige is still under the larger umbrella of the SAN group but is a new concept headed up by Kevin Perlot, an alum of L'Air du Temps.

Tasting Menus: Vegetal and Discovery

VerTige focuses on "sustainable, modern, plant-based gastronomy." Though the focus is clearly on vegetables, the restaurant still serves some seafood and uses ingredients such as ham, sweetbreads, and dairy products.

They have various tasting menus. The restaurant is clearly plant-focused, but it also offers tasting menus that includes meat and seafood. The Vegetal Menu (vegetarian) is 39€, 49€, and 79€ and the The Discovery Menu (includes meat, seafood) is 45€, 59€, and 89€ for a 3, 4, or 6-course tasting, respectively.

We decided to go with the 6-course. I got the Vegetal while Bryan got the Discovery.

Cucumber and kohlrabi ceviche with mackerel

For several of the courses, the only difference seemed to be the addition of the protein. For example, in the photo above, you can see raw mackerel on top of the kohlrabi "scroll", whereas the plant-based version does not have it.

One of the most impressive dishes was probably the risotto, which was intensely flavorful yet was made without cheese. This was part of both of our tasting menus.

To be honest, we sort of chuckled at the main course, which was identical except for a nice seared piece of meat.

It almost seemed like the plant based menu was designed first, and then they found ways to add meat and seafood to appease the meat-eaters. In any event, it was tasty, though I wondered whether Bryan felt satisfied since just adding that one piece of meat wasn't that much food.

Single "raviolo" in broth.

Taragon & rhubarb dessert, with 2 preparations of rhubarb (stewed rhubarb and rhubarb sorbet)

General Thoughts - VerTige

I remember SAN Bruxelles being difficult to book and filled with diners when we ate there (granted, this was pre-Covid, so it's not exactly a fair comparison). The day we ate at VerTige, I think we only saw one or two other parties arrive. Perhaps it's the pandemic; perhaps it's because plant-focused food is still not nearly as popular.

I personally like light dishes that are plant-based, so I don't mind this type of restaurant at all. However, I had a feeling Bryan wasn't full enough. There was very little meat (ratio-wise), and overall the portions are not very large.

I did appreciate the artistry and attention to detail of the food. It's no surprise, given that Chef Perlot came from L'Air du Temps. The food is good, and there were definitely some wow moments. However, I think this place is more suited for people who are seeking out mostly plant-based foods. The meat clearly seems to play second fiddle.

Vertige Brussels
Rue de Flandre 19
1000 Bruxelles

September 24, 2022 Europe

La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi - Milan

La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant that's a little off the beaten path. We had to take a car to reach this restaurant. It wasn't within walking distance of our hotel (which was located right in the center of the city next to the Duomo).

However, I was drawn to La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi because they promoted a "slow food" philosophy. More vegetables and seafood, some meat, but not a ton.

We were also blown away by the amazing value. The tasting menu is only 36 EUROS and includes bread, antipasto, a "primo" (pasta dish), and a "secondo" (meat dish), plus a dessert. The ambiance was warm and cozy, the service was good, the food was very tasty, and the price was incredible.

Certainly worth the car ride! Here's our tasting menu!

We started with a crispy saffron risotto (Milanese style!) "cake" topped with calamari, zucchini, and a lemon and herb sauce. Perfectly executed, light, and flavorful.

La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi Milan, Italy

These Croquettes came with the restaurant's own housemade ketchup. They were perfectly fried (and delicious!), though I thought six croquettes was a lot for two people!

I was almost half full after this course.

The next "primo" course was a smaller portion. Pasta with a white meat sauce, was very tasty, and the texture of the pasta was excellent.

a little off the beaten path, needed to take a car

For the "Secondo", we had a pan seared duck breast with roasted pear, leeks, and duck jus. It was nicely executed.

We tried four different cheeses.

A simple dessert: gelato with chocolate "chips".

General Thoughts - La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi

La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi was a lovely place to relax after a long day of touring around Milan. The food was authentic, made with heart, high quality, and delicious! Prices seem like they are from another era. It's certainly worthy of its "Bib Gourmand" status, being a restaurant that has "good quality, good value".

La Cucina dei Frigoriferi Milanesi {book online}
Via Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 10, 20137 Milano, Italy

September 20, 2022 Europe

Hélène Darroze Paris

The pandemic was a time that separated people, a time when many families and friends were unable to see each other for YEARS. We had a close friend who had been living in Asia for 30+ years until the pandemic all of a sudden prevented her from getting back home.

The border closures were challenging for many. For us, it was tricky to leave Hong Kong. We knew there were risks of not being able to go home (or being locked up in quarantine) if we tested positive outside.

It was in this type of environment that we serendipitously found out that our dear, dear friend would be in Paris celebrating her birthday AT THE SAME TIME we would be there!

What a God-given crazy opportunity to meet up! There was only one day where our travels would overlap.

After a flurry of messages back and forth, we decided to spend the afternoon visiting Versailles together. That evening, we celebrated her birthday with a very special meal at 2-Michelin star Hélène Darroze in Paris.

Welcome to Hélène Darroze Paris

The attention to detail in the artistry of the food is evidence the moment you sit down. We began with three intricately latticed leaf crackers. From left to right: pepper, lobster, and olive.

Starting Bites

Helene Darroz is originally from the Basque region of France. This next course was a “taloa“. Our server, who also happened to be from the same Basque region as the chef, explained to us that taloa was ”like a taco.“ This delicous one consisted of a cornmeal crepe topped with mackerel, espelette pepper, and rosemary.

Helene Darroz is originally from the Basque region of France. Our server, also from the Basque region, explained "the taloa . . . is like a taco.“ This delicious one consisted of a cornmeal crepe topped with mackerel, espelette pepper, and rosemary.

The next course (for the normal tasting) was a a beautiful multi-layered creation consisting of paper-thin white button mushrooms, lardon, and Perigord nuts.

This plump juicy oyster (supplemental cost option) was out of this world. It came topped with caviar gelee and a cocoa bean sauce. It was so ridiculously good.

Our friend does not eat foie gras, so the kitchen was kind enough to prepare a special pea-based cream for her. I personally don’t like foie gras that much either, so I was actually a bit envious of her dish, which looked really good!

Bryan and I got the foie gras, which Bryan absolutely loved. I have to admit it was pretty good, though certainly rich.

Seafood

Helen Darroz has some Asian ties. In fact, her two daughters are adopted from [Vietnam?].. This next course reminded me a bit of Hong Kong‘s shrimp toast, with French influences (of course!). A beautiful layered and crispy toast came topped with green asparagus, crayfish, and yuzu kosho beurre blanc.

Hélène Darroze has some Asian ties. In fact, her two daughters are adopted from Vietnam.

This next course also had hints of Asian flavors, reminding me a bit of Hong Kong‘s shrimp toast, with French influences (of course!). A beautiful layered crispy toast came topped with green asparagus, crayfish, and yuzu kosho beurre blanc.

French blue lobster with Tandoori spices, carrot mousseline, Lampong pepper reduction with fresh coriander.

French blue lobster with Tandoori spices, carrot mousseline, and Lampong pepper reduction with fresh coriander.

The seafood course consisted of a simple piece of hake topped with “crunchies” made from the skin (removed and deep fried). This came with a beautiful piece of white asparagus (which was in season at the time), peas, and a sauce made from fish essence and egg. On the side, dollops of “egg yolk“ completed the plate.

Main Meat Course

Bryan ordered the lamb as his entree, which came with two preparations: a seared lamb rib and a roulade. On the side, a beautiful seared artichoke heart topped with a mint pesto.

I ordered the Wagyu entree, which (unbeknownst to me) also had a (quite hefty) supplement cost. Like many traditional high-end restaurants in Paris, Hélène Darroze gives the male a menu with the prices, and the female(s) a menu without the prices.

Bryan was surprised I ordered so many supplemental courses. He didn't realize that I couldn't see the prices and didn't know (oops!).

There was also a Wagyu “bao” and a Wagyu “Shabu shabu”, which was fantastic.

This "Wagyu three ways" main course included a Wagyu steak, a “bao” and “shabu shabu”, which were all fantastic.

Cheese

Our server came back to serve us the next course: flatbread + cheese. She proceeded to shave this very special cheese onto pieces of the flatbread for us to enjoy.

Dessert

For our first sweet bite, we had a rice pudding with mango and crispies. It reminded me of the mango sago desserts in Hong Kong.

Finally, it feels like no French meal is complete without at least a little chocolate at the end.

Special Memories

Ah, what special memories from such an unlikely meet-up at a restaurant in Paris. We never could have imagined that, despite the fact that we both live in Asia, we had to go all the way out to Paris to meet up. Just goes to show how crazy restrictive the borders were back home.

In any event, our meal at Hélène Darroze was certainly memorable. The food, the presentation, and the whole experience was top notch. But even more so, it's the conversations, laughter, and the joy of catching up in-person that I won't forget. Thank you to the whole team at Hélène Darroze for making our meal so special.

And just for fun, here are some photos from our last visit to Versailles back in 2005, and 2022. Man, time really, really flies.

September 20, 2022 Europe

La Condesa Paris

This post is part of a larger series about Paris. Other posts in this series include Frenchie Wine Bar, Les Enfants du Marche, chez Alain Miam Miam, and Hélène Darroze Paris.

Our meal at La Condesa was one of the highlights of our Paris trip. From the first bite of goat cheese and corn-based (tostados? gorditas?) and the slightly-molecular mushroom "smoke" soup to to the traditional French-style madeleines that closed out our meal, we were continuously delighted and surprised by this tasting menu.

Chef Indra Carrillo

The food at La Condesa is creative and surprising partly because Chef Indra Carrillo himself has a diverse background, from his native Mexican roots, his experience working under some top French chefs, and his years of training in Japan and Italy. The culinary tasting "adventure" at La Condesa is truly fun. You really don't know what to expect because he gathers inspiration from all over the globe.

Here's a look at our tasting menu!

Small Bites to Start

We began with crunchy cornflour based "crackers" that reminded me of Mexican tostados, but much coarser and crunchier in texture.

It was a lovely bite that immediately signaled to us that this tasting menu was based on Mexican roots.

After enjoying some fresh bread, we tasted several more small single bites. Butternut squash flowers came deep fried and dusted with some spice.

A Refreshing Savory Sorbet?

This next course came in two "parts". The dried, crunchy "rice crispies" coated in a bit of sugar were kept on top of the stone container.

sorbet pickle, dill, citrus, rice crispies coated a bit of sugar, soooo refreshing, so interesting, bright

We poured the "toppings" into a very refreshing and bright sorbet with sliced pickles, fresh dill, and citrus. The dish was so very interesting, with bright refreshing flavors.

Seafood

seared scallop, multiple types of grains (wheat berry, lentil, mung bean), two types of pickled radish, Sabeyon sauce, daikon roll.

Next up was a single seared scallop (served on top of the scallop shell), with multiple types of grains (wheat berry, lentil, mung bean), two types of pickled radish, a daikon roll, and a generous topping of sabeyon sauce.

Pasta Course

herb + saffron pasta, clams, herbs, seaweed,

A taste of Italy (and maybe Japan?) appeared in this next course, consisting of a gorgeously green and orange herb + saffron pasta, served with clams, herbs, and seaweed.

A Tasting of Mushrooms (and Truffles!)

mushroom cream, mushroom broth & mushroom smoke, black truffle deep fried ball eat last / soooooo good, umami, smoke,

This next course was served in two parts. First, a trio of mushroom served as a mushroom foamy cream, a mushroom broth and a mushroom smoke. Upon opening the top "cap", mushroom smoke billowed out. The server gave us a straw, which we used to sip up the delicious, mushroom-y broth.

black truffle deep fried ball eat last / soooooo good, umami, smoke,

We were told to eat the deep fried ball last, which was filled with black truffle + mushroom goodness. It was soooo good, full of umami and smoke.

Banana Leaf Cod

This next course of banana leaf wrapped fish reminded me of Thai cuisine.

Inside the banana leaf was a perfectly seared piece of cod with a curry carrot sauce and herbs.

The Meat Courses

filet of beef, collard green, napa, turnips, leek oil, beef jus,

A beautiful beef course: filet mignon, collard greens, napa, turnips, leek oil and beef jus.

pigeon filled with veal + nori, lobster sauce, salsify, parsnip purée, chips, kumquat?

A pigeon roulade filled with intricate layers of veal + nori (seaweed), lobster sauce, salsify, parsnip purée, and parsnip chips.

Sweets

grapefruit, lemon, walnut cream, slices of grapefruit and lemon (candies? cured?), tuile m

Slices of candied grapefruit and lemon, walnut cream, and tuile.

cremont wine
nettle purée, kiwi tempura, fruit, sorbet,

Kiwi tempura served on top of nettle purée, kiwi fruit, sorbet served with cremont wine.

madeleines — Freshly baked cannelles . . .

General Thoughts - La Condesa Paris

Even though I do enjoy a great French meal, my favorite meals in France are typically ones where French technique is applied to another cuisine. We both agreed that this meal was one of our favorites from that trip to Paris.

I would highly recommend it!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Che (@tinyurbankitchen)

La Condesa Paris
13 rue Rodier
75009 PARIS

+33 (0)1 53 20 94 90
[email protected]

September 18, 2022 Belgium

Brussels Favorites "That Pithivier Place" (Restaurant Bozar) and More

As soon as we knew we would be in Brussels for a slightly extended amount of time, Bryan asked if we could go back to “that pithivier place”. He still had fond memories of our last meal there, back in early 2020, when we experienced Chef Karen’s stunning works of art for the first time.

It’s been two years, and a lot last happened. As you may recall, Brussels went into lockdown in early March, the DAY we left Brussels to take one of the last direct flights back to Hong Kong. Who would have guessed that 2 years later, that direct flight is still not flying . . .

mousse of saspirella, caviar, fish, puffed wheat,

It hasn’t been easy. We talked to area restauranteurs. The family that owns Pasta Divina told us they were closed for 8 months, and many other businesses did not survive the pandemic at all.

Nevertheless, Brussels is coming back to life. As the days become longer and the sun sets later and later, people are reveling in the freedom of a society that is opening back up. We hardly saw masks anywhere (except perhaps inside trains, cars, and airplanes). There’s also no more need to show the digital “Green Pass” to enter restaurants.

This trip (Spring 2022) we mostly revisited our favorites from past trips. We were thrilled to see that our favorite pasta place, Pasta Divina, was still going strong, fully booked every single evening. In the fall of 2021, it was still relatively easy to get a last minute booking or walk into a popular restaurant. No more. Brussels is back, including the tourists, and restaurants are packed.

This was our first time in Brussels during the spring, so we were surprised to learn that mussels are not in season between March and July. Alas, no fresh moules frites this trip. We made sure to taste our favorite beers, such as the wild fermented lambics from Cantillon, “best beer in the world” brown beer from Westleveteren, Triple Karmeliet, Orval, Rochefort, and many many more.

*Sneak peek at the pithivier before it goes into the oven.*

Similarly, public areas such as The Grand Place and St. Catherine were teeming with life, filled with crowds that acted like it was 2019, i.e. “the Before Times.”

Despite all the tourists, thankfully I was able to secure a reservation at Restaurant Bozar again. It had been two years since we were last there, and we were looking forward to trying Chef Karan's signature pithivier again.

We had already pre-ordered the pithivier a few days before (must order 48 hours in advance!), and thus we were all set for our main course. We just had to choose a few appetizers. If you don't pre-order, you can still enjoy his "croutes" (meat filled pastry creations) by ordering the croute tasting (195 EUROS per person, minimum 2ppl), which includes trying four different ones, including a dessert croute!

Starters

I must say the attention to detail and the pure artistry of the food at Bozar never cease to amaze me.

It's not merely artistry, of course. Each course is elegantly composed, with balanced flavor combinations that are just a delight to eat.

The fresh, handmade ravioli was beautifully al dente, and the consomme together with the lobster (from Brittany) and sweet peas was just perfect.

Mes Croutes: Duck Pithivier

There are several different types of croutes, filled with different types of meat such as Basque pork, pigeon, or duck. We (again) ordered the duck pithivier, which includes Dombes duck, goose foie gras, spinach, morel mushrooms, and root vegetables.

I really want to try the salmon one (which also has spinach, buckwheat, mushrooms, and a white butter sauce with caviar), but the menu says it is for 6-8 persons.

Duck of Gérard Burgaud from Challans, foie gras, spinach, morel mushrooms, and root vegetables

It takes so much precision to get all the layers to cook just right.

So amazing.

We finished with some light petit fours, including some freshly baked warm madeleines.

Our first time here was in 2020, right when the pandemic began. It was a scary time, when masks were scarce, little was known about the disease, and it was unclear how long we'd be stuck in Brussels.

So much has changed in two years.

Back then we ate the 221st pithivier. Two years later, our new keychain told us we had just eaten the 319th pithivier. Wow, Chef has made close to 100 more pithiviers since then, which is impressive considering the pandemic was roaring during a lot of this time . . .

We were thrilled to be back this time, and hopefully won't wait another 2 years before we return.

Bozar Restaurant Brussels
Rue Baron Horta 3
1000 Bruxelles

Tel : 02 / 503.00.00
Mail : [email protected]

September 16, 2022 Asian

Crown Super Deluxe Teppanyaki Hong Kong

It was crowded in Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong's famously lively neighborhood known for its bars, nightlife, and foreigner-friendly establishments. This was during a long stretch of period during the pandemic when things in Hong Kong were pretty stable, and thus life moved on like normal.

As Bryan and I walked through a neighborhood that we had not visited in a long time, we continued to walk in circles searching for this restaurant that specialized in "lavish teppanyaki affair" with strong influence from both Japan and the US? What does that mean??

Soon after we stepped into Crown Super Deluxe Teppanyaki we started to understand. This place is not like a typical teppanyaki restaurant that we've visited in the US. Instead, it serves Japanese food with the flair and showmanship of US teppanyaki establishments. Think Benihana, but much more upscale.

Case in point. Moments after we sat down, this beautiful large lobster started looking at me. I cringed a bit, knowing that he would likely become part of our dinner later on in the day. There are actually several counters at Crown Super Deluxe Teppanyaki. It seemed like we were sitting at the lobster station where unlucky live lobsters were "prepared". I've always had trouble killing any live critters (e.g., I couldn't bring myself to step on ants when I was a kid, and I still struggle cooking live mussels). As such, this wasn't the most fun table for me to sit at.

I tried to ignore the lobster as we looked at the menu. We could choose from one of three different tasting menus: the Crown (HKD788) which included a choice between two types of US Prime beef, the Super (HKD788), which added sashimi, a seafood course, and AU Wagyu beef, and the Deluxe (HKD988), which added Spiny Lobster and A5 Kagoshima Wagyu.

Since this was our first time, we decided to go all out and try the Deluxe.

...

September 12, 2022 Guide

Updated: Jen's Japan Recommendations

*Jiro, Jen, & Bryan at Sukiyabashi Jiro*

Japan is one of my favorite countries in the world. I fell in love with it when I lived in Tsukuba (right outside of Tokyo) as a college student during a summer internship. Since then, I've traveled back over ten (!) times (usually tagging along on one of my husband's business trips). As a result, I've had quite a few opportunities to enjoy the fabulous food this country offers.

I've had enough friends ask my for recommendations about traveling to Japan that I thought I'd write a brief guide on my favorite places to eat, shop, and hang out. The last time I was in Japan was 2019, so this guide is only as current as that trip. Unfortunately, Japan is still not open to regular tourists yet, and I have not been able to return. I miss it so much, and I can't wait until I can return again.

Favorite Places to Eat

As for real dining - the options are endless depending on how much you want to spend.

Tsukiji Fish Market used to be THE MAIN attraction for trying fresh sushi and for watching the traditional sushi auction at either 5:30AM or 6AM (there are two shifts). The market closed in 2018 and moved to a new modern space at Toyosu, which I have not visited yet. To see our entire old-school Tsukiji Fish Market experience (for which we waited in line starting at 2AM), check out this full post.

Favorite Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet)

Butagumi is a cute restaurant serves all sorts of different breeds on pork including tonkatsu made from the famous Iberian pig in Spain. It's a little off the beaten track, so if you're short on time, you can still enjoy excellent tonkatsu at Maisen, which has several locations around Tokyo.

Favorite Ramen

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 8253074133_9abf55042a_z.jpg

Rokurinsha has a history of having long lines out its door - which is a sure sign of a good ramen place in Japan. Visit the location at Tokyo Station on "Ramen Street" or go to the new Tokyo Sky Tree and enjoy it there. They specialize in "tsukemen", or dipping noodles. If the line at Rokurinsha is too long for your liking (it often has the longest line at Ramen Street), head over to Ramen Honda, which is still excellent. You can also go for breakfast, when the lines are only about 20 minutes long. For a lighter, yuzu-flavored ramen, try Afuri. For an authentic experience (no English menus!), check out this charming little ramen shop in Shibuya called Suzuran.

Favorite Tempura

Tempura Kondo in Tokyo boasts 2 Michelin stars and churns out the most delicate tempura using the freshest ingredients all over Japan. Try the sweet potato (even though it costs extra). This is supposedly one of the best items on the menu, though I haven't had a chance to try it since it was not in season when I went. Another one that rivals Kondo, but at half the price, is Tempura Fukamachi, which offers a fantastic vegetable tempura option (which I loved). Mikawa Zezankyo (1 Michelin star) is also very good, though I personally prefer the other two.

Favorite Shabu

Seryna (Kobe beef) serves melt-in-your-mouth Kobe beef for shabu. Though it's extremely expensive (think over $100 USD for about 8 slices of beef!), it's by far the best shabu meat I've ever had in my life.

Favorite Steak/Teppanyaki

Ukai-tei is a beautiful and elegant 1 star Michelin restaurant with superb service and excellent steak. They offer steak from specially bred black cows from a region very near Kobe. According to Bryan, it's the best steak he's ever had in his life. The steak standwiches from Shima are also legendary. The catch is that you can only get a sandwich as a take-away after dining in the restaurant and ordering a steak. It's worth it, though, the steaks are phenomenal!

Favorite Sushi

Sushi Yoshitake (3 Michelin stars) is pricy but fantastic, and we love both the original Tokyo location and also regularly visit their Hong Kong location, called Sushi Shikon. I used to love Sushi Ya and I found the prices to be very, very reasonable during lunch. The chef at Sushi Ya, Chef Ishiyama, left and opened his own place, Sushi Ishiyama, which is also very good.

Legendary experiences include Sushi Mizutani (now closed) and the famous Sukiyabashi Jiro (very hard to get in). Sushi Saito is another, which I've never visited in Japan (only in Hong Kong, which is not the same). Back in 2013, we got our Jiro reservation by having one of Bryan's Japanese colleague contact the restaurant to make the reservation. They had to follow up by personally delivered the 20,000 yen cash deposit to the restaurant. Things have changed a lot now. The restaurant has become so exclusive the Michelin Guide removed its stars, saying it was too hard to book. Jiro Ono is 96 years old and doesn't make sushi as much as he used to.

Favorite Yakitori

We had amazing yakitori at a hard to find "hidden" spot called Nakameguo Iguchi. We've also had very good yakitori at 1-Michelin starred Birdland, which is partly famous because it is also in the basement of Ginza station right next to the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro.

Favorite Izakaya

One of my favorite casual izakayas where I discovered my love of yuzu kosho and tried chicken sashimi for the first time is this family-run restaurant called Kago, founded by a retired Japanese baseball player.

Favorite Noodles

We haven't explored soba too much, but the handmade ones at Kaoriya, Matsugen, and Matsuya Kanda are excellent. We loved the udon at Omen, a charming noodle shop in Kyoto within walking distance of the Silver Pavilion, one of the most famous temples in Kyoto.

Favorite Kaiseki

In Tokyo, our kaiseki meal at Azabu Kadowaki was memorable for two reasons. One, I ate fugu sashimi (!) for the first time. Second, they have an amazing signature truffle rice at the end that is sooooo good. Kikunoi Akasaka, a 1-Star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo whose uber famous sister restaurant in Kyoto has three Michelin stars, is also very good.

Kyoto (birthplace of kaiseki) has many top restaurants, and we have enjoyed many incredible meals there. Nakamura, though pricey, is one of those unforgettable kaiseki meals with exquisite service, fantastic food, and an overall unique and very traditional Japanese experience.

And for something completely different: Try some of the modern, creative cuisine that's popping up all over Tokyo. Aronia de Takazawa serves extremely creative, whimsical, and beautifully (and sometimes unusually) plated food. They also have a large selection of Japanese wines, which is unusual. Ryugin is one of the most famous modern kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo. Boasting three Michelin stars, it has some really fantastic dishes (though at the end it wasn't my favorite restaurant). Tapas Molecular Bar is all out molecular gastronomy located in the top floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo. The views are breathtaking and the meal is fun, though the flavors of the dishes are only OK.

Florilege is a French restaurant helmed by a very talented Japanese chef who cares deeply about sustainability and bringing out the flavors of local ingredients. Il Ristorante Luca Fantin serves excellent Italian food in a stunning space at the top of the Bulgaria building in Omotesando.

For a Nightcap: check out Bar High Five for great cocktails. In the past they had an incredible selection of Yamazaki whiskey, and we could even get Yamazaki 30 for about $50 USD a shot, which is a steal considering that a bottle probably costs many thousands of US dollars now.

Enjoy the Seaons! It's fun to eat the seasonal ingredients too. During my 2019 trip in the fall, matsutake mushrooms and gingko nuts were in season, and I loved trying both in several different ways.

Where to Shop and Walk Around?

Ginza is the ritzy part of town lined with high end boutiques. It is great if you're shopping for high-end stuff, but it's pricey! On Sundays they close down part of the street to traffic, so it's fun to walk and shop during that time. I do like to visit Toy Park there, and we like to buy shoes in Tokyo since we have wide feet. One of our favorite stores is actually the Asics store, which sells Asic's nicer lines of dress shoes, the Pedala (with their comfy Asics soles!).

Harajuku and Omotesando (adjacent areas) are really fun too - you'll see a bit younger crowd, especially in Harajuku. One of my favorite shops in Omotesando is Kiddie Land, which has one of the best selection of Totoro stuff in Tokyo (even better than Studio Ghibli itself).

Shibuya is not too far away, and sometimes I'll walk from Shibuya to Harajuku and then to Omotessando. Definitely check out the famous crazy crosswalk at Shibuya! Between Shibuya and Harajuku is the NHK Studio, which has a fun shop that sells all sorts of Domokun stuff (Domo is their mascot). Shibuya is where I first fell in love with the Isse Miyake Bao Bao bag (before it became crazy hot and hard to find). It was just displayed at a shop, and I was drawn to its geometric shapes. It was the first bag I bought in Tokyo.

Tokyo Station Character Street. If you like "kawaii" (cute) Japanese characters, "Character Street" in Tokyo Station is a phenomenal place to shop. There are dedicated stores to many characters, such as Hello Kitty, Domokun (NHK), Totoro, Snoopy, and many, many more.

As a food person, my favorite kitchen shopping neighborhood is Kappabashi Dori and (pre-2018), Tsukiji Fish Market (for knives!). At Kappabashi, which is the restaurant supply neighborhood in Tokyo, you can pick up tons of cool Japanese kitchenware for really low prices. Make sure to bring cash, as a lot of places don't accept credit card. I have many beautiful dishes I hand carried back to Boston (and then to Hong Kong), that I still use to this day. They are amazing because they are hardy enough for restaurants, yet still beautiful for nice meals, and ridiculously reasonably-priced. This is also the place where you can buy plastic fake display food which make fun gifts to bring back.

One stop away from Kappabashi is Akihabara. Bryan absolutely loves Akihabara for electronics. The largest electronics store (possibly in the world) called Yodabashi Camera is there. They sell everything from electronics to kitchen appliances to even luxury handbags. It's sensory overload but definitely worth seeing. We've bought many cool water bottles, iphone cases, and random useful electronics. (I even have a cute Miffy charging cable.)

Akihabara is also not too far from Asakusa, where you can sample all sorts of fun Japanese snacks on the path leading to the huge temple (freshly made sembei crackers, red bean filled cakes, fresh mochi, etc).

Speaking of snacking, don't miss roaming around the basements of the high-end department stores (called depachika), where you can gaze at (and sample!) endless amounts of incredible food. Definitely check out the basement of the department store called Isetan in Shinjuku, which houses many of the world's most famous bakeries (yes, I buy a Pierre Hermes Ispahan macaron every time!). I love the grocery store at the basement of Isetan, where I always stock up on yuzu kosho and other spices.

Even if you can't make it out to Shinjuku, there are plenty of department stores in Shibuya, Ginza, and other areas with fun basements in which to explore. I would highly recommend grabbing lunch at least once from one of these places. You can also come back to purchase exquisitely wrapped food-focused gifts to bring back home. Nobody tops the Japanese when it comes to beautifully wrapped cookies, cakes, and other snacks as gifts.

Things to Do

Cherry Blossoms

The seasons in Japan are gorgeous. If you can, go during the spring during the famous sakura cherry blossom season, usually at the beginning of April, though tit varies year to year and by location. Different trees flower at different times. We arrived "late" one year but still got to enjoy phenomenally beautiful later-season cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautifully sculptured park that is easy to access and boasts over 500 different varieties of cherry trees (so you have a better shot of at least seeing some blooms!).

Fall Foliage

Fall is yet another beautiful time. The foliage is lovely, and certain ingredients such as matsutake mushrooms and gingko nuts are in season and featured in a lot of dishes.

Imperial Palace

You need to book in advance if you want to visit the Imperial Palace. Guided tours are offered at set times, and you need to book pretty early. I'm not sure how the pandemic has affected all this. We were super lucky during our tour and we saw Empress Michiko Shōda drive by!

Disney Sea

There is only one Disney Sea in the entire world, and it is in Tokyo. An ocean-themed park, this slightly more adult oriented park is beautifully designed, still fully Disney, and really, really fun. The rides are excellent, and the seven themed ports are all really nicely designed. I was so nostalgic because the "American Waterfront" port totally reminded me of Boston! I loved the park so much, I would certainly go back again.

Visit Totoro

Miyazaki fans will love Studio Ghibli, a museum dedicated to all of Hayao Miyazaki's art. You can see what his studio looks like, gaze at numerous sketches that he's made, and enjoy many elements from his movies in this three-story museum that includes an open air rooftop garden, a cafe, and a small theater where you can watch a short film. Kids will love playing in the giant neko-bus on the top floor.

Definitely also check out Shirohige Cream Puff Factory, a super cute cafe opened by Hayao Miyazaki's sister-in law on the outskirts of Tokyo. It is the only officially licensed "Totoro Cafe" in the world.

Ghibli Park is opening November 1, 2022 in Japan! It is located east of Nagoya, about a 3-hour train ride from Tokyo. I really really want to go, and will certain try to go as soon as Japan fully opens its doors to tourists.

Hiking - Mt. Fuji? Or maybe just Mt. Takao

Mt. Fuji Japan — Climbing Mount Fuji when I was in college!

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and a very, very popular place to visit. I climbed Mount Fuji in the middle of August 1997 when I was at university, 25 years ago. Back then most people did a night hike, taking a bus up to the 5th Station around 10-11PM, and then hiking up to the summit (takes 6-7 hours) to see the sunrise. Mount Fuji is a very popular climb, and it can actually get really crowded at the summit (see photo above of the "traffic jam" that slowed us down when we reached the top.) The climb is fantastic and worth doing at least once in your life, but you definitely should be at least somewhat in shape to do it.

If you don't want to do something quite so ambitious, consider taking a half day trip to Mount Takao, a hiking spot only about 50 minutes away from Tokyo by train. This mountain takes 2-3 hours to climb and there's plenty to see on the way up. Mount Takao is considered a holy Shinto mountain, and therefore the mountain includes temples, statues, various religious relics, and mountain street vendors selling all sorts of snacks.

Hakone

Another popular day-trip from Tokyo is to Hakone, where you can see an active volcano, enjoy hot springs, and check out some pretty cool art exhibits. Definitely a fun day trip visiting an area that is very different from the crowded metropolis.

* * * * *

It is impossible for me to write a sufficient comprehensive guide to Japan. As you can see I've been there over 10 times, and every time I try to do something a little different. It's such an amazing place, no matter what, you'll find plenty of things to enjoy, and reasons to return over and over again.

Listing of all Japan-related posts

{last updated August 30, 2022}

2019 Japan Trip
Easter in Japan - Trip Report (trip report)
Tempura Fukamachi Tokyo (tempura, 1 Michelin Star)
Disney Sea Tokyo (theme park)
Sushi Ishiyama (sushi)
Imafuku Sukiyaki Tokyo (sukiyaki, 1 Michelin Star)
Il Ristorante Luca Fantin Tokyo (Italian, 1 Michelin Star)

2018 Japan Trip
Totoro, Fall Foliage, Tofu Kaiseki (trip report)
Potsura Potsura Izakaya (izakaya, bib gourmande)
Sushi Ya with Takao Ishiyama (sushi)
Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai - Tokyo Tower (tofu)
Hakone, Akihabara, and only-in-Japan Experiences Crony Tokyo (modern, 1 Michelin Star)

2017 Japan Trip
Kyubey - A follow-up visit
Tsukiji Fish Market Auction & Sushi Bun Breakfast
Shima Steak Tokyo - The Famous Steak Sandwich

2016 Japan Trip
Sushi Ya (sushi, dinner)
Afuri (ramen)
Dominique Ansel (bakery)
Bird Land (yakitori, 1 Michelin star)
Bar High Five (cocktail bar)
Matsuya Kanda (soba)

2015 Japan Trip
Hiking at Mount Takao in Japan
Florilege (French, 1 Michelin star)
Sushi Harutaka (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Rokurinsha (ramen breakfast)
Azabu Kadowaki (Japanese, 2 Michelin stars)
Nakameguro Iguchi yakitori (中目黒いぐち) (yakitori)
Sushi-Ya (すし家) (sushi)
Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory - Totoro Cream Puff (bakery)

2013 Japan Trip
Matsugen (soba)
Sushi Iwa (sushi, 1 Michelin star)
Ramen Honda (ramen)
Ryugin (modern kaiseki, 3 Michelin stars)
Omen (udon)
Shouraian (tofu)
Dotonburi (Osaka street food)
Taian (grill, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Sho (sushi)
Nakamura (traditional kaiseki, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Taku (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Yoshitake (sushi, 3 Michelin stars)

2012 Japan Trip
Sukiyabashi Jiro (sushi, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Sawada (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Aoki (sushi, 1 Michelin star)
Kikunoi Akasaka (kaiseki cuisine, 1 Michelin star)
Mikawa Zezankyo (tempura, 1 Michelin star)
Ukai-Tei (teppanyaki, Kobe beef; 1 Michelin star)
Kaoriya (soba)
Rokurinsha (ramen)
Omotesando Koffee (coffee)

2011 Japan Trip
Post Quake Japan
Kago (Kagoshima cuisine)
Daisan Harumi (sushi)
Tempura Kondo (tempura, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Mitani (sushi)
Inakaya (robotayaki)
Aronia de Takazawa (modern cuisine)
Sushi Mizutani (sushi, 3-Michelin stars)
Kappabashi Dori (Kitchen shopping street)
Masamoto Tsukiji (Knife shopping)

2010 Japan Trip
Part 1: Kappabashi Dori (shopping)
Part 2: Tapas Molecular Bar (modern Japanese, 1 Michelin star)
Part 3: Suzuran (ramen)
Part 4: Matcha and Azuki Breads
Part 5: Masamoto Tsukiji Knives (shopping)
Part 6: Maisen (tonkatsu)
Part 7: Snacking in Japan (snacks)
Part 8: Sushi Kanesaka (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)

2009 Japan Trip
Everything I Learned About Sushi I Learned from My Mom . . . . And Kyubei (sushi, formerly 1 Michelin star)
Seryna (Kobe beef shabu)
Sometaro (okomokiyaki)
Maisen (tomkatsu)
Kyubey (sushi, formerly 1 Michelin star)
Suzuran (ramen)

September 8, 2022 Belgium

Frites Atelier - Best Fries in Brussels

Belgium is famous for three things: Beer, Waffles, and Fries. Alas, all three are types of food that should be enjoyed with moderation. Imagine the self-control I had to exercise when we were stuck in Brussels for close to two months at the beginning of the pandemic!

I've had lots of fries in Brussels, but hands down the BEST fries (and arguably the most famous fries) would be those at Frites Atelier Brussels.

Dutch Chef Sergio Herman, entrepreneur who owns several restaurants (including three 1-Michelin starred restaurants) decided to embark upon a quest to figure out how to make the best fries.

The 18-month journey took him to explore different types of potatoes, soil types, salts, cooking methods, etc., he settled on potatoes "from the clay in Zeeland" (a province in the Netherlands) and "Samphire salt".

The first location opened in The Hague in 2016, and several more have followed. In Brussels there is a location right near the Grand Place.

Fries are the focus, of course. You can get plain fries (with your choice of a variety of dipping sauces), or you can get the more creatives ones that have interesting toppings, such as Sea Nori, which includes dried seaweed chips, spicy andalouse mayonnaise, and Japanese furikake on top (pictured at top). There are other really creative toppings, such as Arabic Baba and Feta (bab ganoush, feta cheese, harissa, herbs), Flemish Beef Stew (stewed in Petrus beer with garden cress and mustard), Indo Peanut (peanut sauce with kaffir lime, fried onions, Rempejek), or a more classic Mediterranean with Parmesan, basil, and mayo.

The fries are crispy on the outside, almost like they are dusted or coated with something, and they are super, super soft and tender on the inside. I have no idea how they make these, but it's unusually good.

If you want to have a meal, the restaurant has a couple burgers/sandwiches on the menu. Bryan got a black Angus Cheddar Cheese Burger, and I tried a Fish Burger. They were both pretty good.

This is definitely a MUST-TRY place if you are in Brussels. I would recommend at least stopping by for an order of fries (maybe to share?). You could wash that down with a couple pints of beer, or stay for the whole meal and also order a burger.

I'm not surprise so many locations opened up so quickly. It's a great concept, they do a good job of keeping the quality high despite the (now) five locations throughout the Netherland and Belgium.

It's worth the calories, at least to try once!

Frites Atelier Brussels

September 5, 2022 Europe

A Week in the Italian Alps - Solda /Sulden

Solda (or Sulden) is a tiny ski village located in the Ortler Mountains in Northern Italy. Once called the "Siberia of Tyrol", it is now a popular (albeit a bit remote) skiing spot. We were out here because Bryan had a work conference/retreat here. I don't ski at all, but I was still blown away by the beauty of the whole region.

The Drive

We drove from Milan, and the entire drive I was just awestruck by the vivid colors and vast scenes surrounding me.

We did have one (kinda crazy) hiccup. We drove to the wrong mountain range (!). It's a long story, but our final destination, called Hotel Cristallo, turned out to exist in both the Dolomites and in Solda.

Oops.

Still, though, the Dolomites (pictured above and below) were absolutely stunning. And it was quite an adventure that we look back and laugh about, even though at the time it was just a bit stressful to have to turn around and drive an additional 4 hours to our actual destination.

Still, I'll never forget how awesome these mountains looked.

Solda Italy

We finally did arrive at the correct Hotel Cristallo in Solda around dinnertime. The food at the Hotel Cristallo is actually really good, which was surprising to me, considering how remote the location is.

The village itself is tiny, with only a population of 400 people. The powdery snow is amazing for skiing. The mountains are stunning, and the overall area is quiet, beautiful, and serene.

Snowy Hikes

We did a hike up a portion of the mountain with a guide. I really didn't have the proper shoes, and my toes got soooo cold! Partly for that reason, it was one of the most difficult hikes I'd ever done.

Oh, but the scenery was so beautiful.

We certainly felt like celebrating after we got to the top!

At the top we saw where all the skiers hang out. There's also a couple restaurants here, and that's where we had lunch.

A beam of light looks almost like a rainbow from a distance.

We took the ski lift back down, and the views took my breath away.

Our room at the Hotel Cristallo was amazing, with a fantastic mountain vista greeting us every morning.

This is the view from the front door of the Hotel Cristallo.

Vineyards! Lagrein, an ancient grape that is grown in this region, is used to make wine. We drank plenty of Lagrein while we were at Hotel Cristallo.

Yes, Solda is a bit far out, but it's a lovely place to visit, and quite reasonably priced. We ate extremely well (the food is really very good!), had lots of local wine each night, and enjoyed the surrounding mountains during the day.

Unlike most people, I have never gone downhill skiing before. So the whole ski resort experience was brand new to me, making it all the more exciting. I didn't ski this time, but I still very much enjoyed being right in the middle of these giant mountains.

September 1, 2022 Europe

Restaurant Pages Paris

It has been close to three years since I was last in Japan, and I miss it dearly. Some say the best French food is in Japan, where Japanese chefs, with their obsessive attention to detail and quality, create masterpieces combining their French culinary training with Japan's abundant, diverse, and amazing produce. While there is certainly some truth to that, there are also many Japanese chefs who move to France, bringing a similar hybrid ethos but from a slightly different angle. In Paris, there are many, including 1-Michelin starred Restaurant Pages from Japanese chef-owner Ryuji Teshima.

Ryuji Teshima opened Restaurant Pages in 2014 with his pastry chef wife, Naoko. Before moving to France, Chef Teshima studied both culinary arts and wine service in Japan. Soon after, he moved to Epernay Champagne (Les Berceaux - 2 stars), before moving to Paris to work at Lucas Carton (1 star). His interest in meat brought him on yet another journey, working weekends at Hugo Desnoyer (famous butcher in Paris) to learn the art of dry-aging and cutting meat. Executive chef Kenichi Handa is chef de cuisine.

Our friend, a very well-traveled businessman who knows Paris like the back of his hand, chose this restaurant as a place for us to meet up. He was drawn to Pages because it reflected the Japanese French combination that many of us love.

Our meal began with unleavened bread. The server brought over some not-quite-yet-risen rolls.

"It will rise while you peruse the menus, then we will bake them!"

Soon afterwards, freshly baked bread arrived, along with a few other amuse bouches.

Degustation: the Tasting Menu

And thus began our evening degustation tasting menu from November 2021. The dinner tasting menu is 150€, while the lunch is 65€ for the normal lunch or 95€ for the lunch tasting. Special seasonal "add-ons" are available from time to time, such as truffle, caviar, or certain Wagyu beef.

Seafood

Slightly torched scallops, celeriac, and a citrus leaf.

brown butter sherry yellow wine from JuraBretagne lobster

Bretagne lobster tail served with a brown butter sherry yellow wine from Jura.

monkfish + cockles + local lettuce dashi broth

Monkfish and cockles served with local lettuce in a fragrant dashi broth.

Meats

Have you ever seen such a perfectly seared pigeon? Likely due to it being grilled on the Binchotan (Japanese white charcoal grill).

Two different types of steak with a small waffle on the side. Though I can't exactly remember anymore which two we tried, I believe one was Japanese Wagyu.

Cheese + Desserts

coffee “notes”haZelnut, coffee, jasmine coffeecoffee ice cream acidic from coffee jelly

A beautiful layered dessert consisting of hazelnut, coffee, jasmine coffee, and a coffee jelly served with a side of coffee ice cream.

Mignardises

Restaurant Pages - General Thoughts

It was a pleasant, enjoyable meal with friendly service and tasty food executed with precision. The food is decidedly more French than Japanese, though we could certainly see some influences. Portions are not small, and I was pretty stuffed near the end.

The exact details of the meal are now a bit foggy in my mind, but I distinctly remember that the service was very attentive and the food was executed well. No particular dish stands out in my mind (no crazy "wow" dishes), but everything was very nicely done. The restaurant certainly deserves its Michelin star.

https://www.restaurantpages.fr/

August 26, 2022 Cuisine

Day Trip to Chianti Classico Region

The Tuscany wine region has been on my list of places to visit for quite some time now. Even though we'd been to Florence during our honeymoon 20+ years ago, we'd never explored the surrounding wine regions.

Although our time in Florence was still short this time, our excellent tour guides from our last Piedmont trip (Travel Langhe) recommended their friends Deb and Massi from Italy Unfiltered. Massi (who's Italian) and his wife/business partner Deb (who's American but now lives in Italy) worked with us to design a custom itinerary that included their recommendations as well as our own suggestions.

Deb was our main point of contact during the planning stage, and she was great. Super organized, responsive, and flexible. On the day of the tour, Massi came and picked us up and spent the whole day with us.

The drive out to the Chianti Wine Region from Florence takes about 45 minutes, and the views are stunning once you get into wine country.

Massi knew we loved taking photos, so sometimes at various spots along the drive he would just stop the car and let us get out to take some photos. We were blessed with amazing sunshine and lovely weather overall, so the views were amazing.

First Stop: Montefioralle

Montefioralle is an ancient village nestled in the hills above Greve in Chianti, right between Florence and Siena. This tiny, tiny village is virtually car-free and still retains its original fort-like walls.

Some say it is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It's really small and very walkable, and so very quaint and pretty all around. We spent about 20 minutes exploring and taking photos of the village itself as well as the surrounding vistas.

Stunning views of the surrounding mountains from every angle!

Second Stop: Altiero Vineyard

Deb and Massi have built up relationships with many winemakers in the region over the years they have lived in Italy. They try to seek out more unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences for people who take their tours.

We met the winemakers of Altiero in Chianti. Altiero is a small production organic winery that only produces around 15,000 bottles per year. It was cool to get up and personal with this family and learn more about their winery.

Samuela, the winemaker, shared with us about the long process it took for them to become DOC certified. In Italy, DOC certification ensures that a wine is made in a particular geographical area and using a certain production method.

On top of that, the wine has to pass a taste test for a certain quality standard. It takes years to achieve and lots of paperwork and waiting. For this family, it took them nearly 12 years.

After an educational tour of the winery itself, we began tasting wine on their magnificent patio with unparalleled views of the Chianti wine region below.

So amazing!

We enjoyed the wines and thought the prices were very reasonable. Best yet, they shipped to Hong Kong! So we ordered a case of 12 and asked then to ship it to us when we arrived back in Hong Kong!

P.S. They ended up delivering it early, so it arrived while we were serving out our 3-week quarantine. We drank several bottles in quarantine!

Third Stop: Lunch + Vertical Tasting at Castello di Ama

This third part of the tour was our request. When Bryan's best friend found out we were traveling to Italy, he (perhaps half jokingly) told us we should try to taste a vertical of Castello di Ama's flagship wine, the Bella Vista.

I asked Deb and Massi if they could arrange it for us, and guess what? They did! They arranged for us to have a winery tour, lunch, and the vertical tasting at Castello di Ama. So fun!

The Restaurant: Il Ristoro di Villa Pianigiani

We began with a lovely pasta lunch at the winery restaurant, which was delicious! Of course they serve their own wine, and it was tempting to try several even before our official wine tasting.

The freshly made pastas were excellent, and we did enjoy a glass of their wine (just a taste!) during the lunch together with the pastas.

The Winery Tour

Next we took a private tour of the winery.

Very different from Altiero, Castello di Ama is a much bigger operation. At the time of the tour they were just putting on the finishing touches on their brand new, gorgeous tasting space.

The surrounding views are stunning, with olive trees, rows of grapevines, and mountains in the distance.

There are also several art pieces or installations throughout different parts of the winery, which adds to the uniqueness of this space. Do note, the photo on the right is not an art installation, but an actual photo of pressed grapes!

The Tasting

The tasting was really, really fun, and we did get to try both a number of different Castello di Ama wines, as well as a mini vertical of their flagship, the Vigneto Bellavista. We tried the 2006, 2007, and 2011.

We also tried the L'Apparita 2008 and Vigneto La Casuccia 2011.

We decided to buy some Vigneto Bellavista as well as some other more "casual" wines for everyday drinking. Yes, they ship to Hong Kong as well!

As we were winding up the tasting, i noticed the magnificent sunset right outside the window. I ran outside with my camera and managed to grab a few shots before the sun went down.

Dario Cecchini - Antica Macelleria Cecchini

Our last stop was at celebrity butcher Dario Cecchini's famous steak shop (and restaurant) in Chianti. Dario Cecchini has been features on Netflix's Chef's Table as well as BBC's Food Programme. He's an 8th generation butcher who strongly believes in traditional methods and art of butchery.

"You're from Hong Kong?" His eyes lit up.

"I'll be opening something in Hong Kong soon."

He slipped us his business card, which included a tiny bag of Florentine steak spices.

We promised to visit his new Hong Kong venture as soon as it opened.

We couldn't stay for dinner, unfortunately (oh how fun it would have been!), but he did gift us a few larger bags of his special Florentine steak spice to try.

So much tempting food all around to try!

That night, Massi dropped us off at Michelin Bib Gourmand **Podere 39**, a lovely quaint Italian restaurant in Florence for a delicious dinner. He had been a great tour guide, driving us all over the Chianti region and sharing with us about his own background and stories.

Chianti Wine Region Tour

We had a great time with Italy Unfiltered. We opted for a guaranteed private tour, which cost 200 Euros per person for the whole day (pick up 9AM / drop off around 6PM). We could have opted for a semi-private tour (180 Euros per person), which means there's a chance we would be paired up with another couple. I guess since it was Covid times we wanted to be cautious, so we opted for the guaranteed tour. This also allowed us to customize our itinerary, swapping out certain things for the Castello di Ama tour that we did.

I really felt like I only got a tiny taste of the Chianti wine region. The wine region is beautiful, much like other wine regions I've visited in Italy. I would love to come back and explore more, but then there are so many other wine regions to visit!

In any event, it's an easy day trip from Florence (only 45 minute drive), so if you're going to be in Florence, it's not a huge deal to take a day off and tour around the wine region. Joining a private tour means you can drink more wine and not worry about driving!

We had an amazing time, and I would opt for a private tour again if I came. Italy Unfiltered was great! (This is totally not sponsored. In fact, they have no idea I am writing this post).

August 23, 2022 Europe

Il Palagio - Florence, Italy

Never would I have thought I would be able to celebrate my birthday in Florence, the city where we spent our honeymoon 21 (!) years ago . . . especially during these pandemic times.

As it turned out, a family wedding in the US, Bryan's work in Europe, and Hong Kong's extremely rigid three-week quarantine requirement (at the time) caused us to spend three months in the US and Europe before returning to Hong Kong.

My birthday happened to land on the Italy portion of the trip. We took a few days off of work to spend my birthday weekend in Florence. After a jam-packed day full of museums, a "mercado" lunch, and a rooftop tour of the Duomo, we were ready to take a break and enjoy a nice, elegant meal at Il Palagio in Florence.

Initial Bites

beetroot tartcracker + herb?biscuit- cheese & gingergreen thing is mushroom flavored (Porcini)“mushroom” is potato Il Palagio Florence Italy

Il Palagio is a 1-Michelin starred contemporary Italian restaurant located in the Four Seasons in Florence. Chef Paolo Lavezzini is an Italian chef who spent 10 years in Brazil, and considers his food to be influenced by both his Italian roots as well as his time in South America.

The Four Seasons hotel and the Il Palagio space are both beautiful. We arrived early and enjoyed a lovely drink in the outer foyer area before heading to our actual dinner.

beetroot tartcracker + herb?biscuit- cheese & gingergreen thing is mushroom flavored (Porcini)“mushroom” is potato

The menu has a la carte options as well as a few tasting menus 135 and 150 EUROS per person. To make things easier, we decided to go with the tasting menu as well as the wine pairing.

We began with a beautiful box full of surprises. As the server opened one drawer after another, we were delighted with these beautiful initial bites: a beetroot tart cracker, intricate crisp topped with cheese and ginger, a green porcini mushroom flavored bite, and a mushroom shaped potato.

A fresh loaf of bread was irresistible, especially with the pungent olive oil and my favorite grissini, or crunchy breadsticks!

Appetizers

potato , fennel, paprika — A single bite: potato, fennel, and paprika.

Mediterranean Amberjack with apple, endive, and butter

Risotto + Pasta

One of their signature dishes: Lightly Smoked Risotto with roasted greens, spelt, and rye.

One amazing thing about having a birthday in November is that November is white truffle season! We took full advantage since we were in Italy for several weeks during the month of November.

White alba truffles should be eaten with something really simple, usually a simple butter pasta, steak tartare, or eggs. Here, we had it with a simple butter pasta.

Sooooo good. I swear, the fresh white truffles in Italy are so much fresher, so much more fragrant.

Fish + Meat

Sweets: Desserts + Mignardises

Tangerine "snow" palate cleanser

apple tart, olive oil biscuit “crust”, pesto cream, apples, black olive crumble,

Green Apple and Lime Ingot: a beautiful layered "tart" with an olive oil biscuit “crust”, pesto cream, apples, and a black olive crumble.

Mignardises were lovely. Tangerine bites with a white chocolate-like covering and liquid inside were delicious. Of all the single bites, the chocolate anise bon bon was both of our favorites (surprising to me, because I don't like anise!). I found the marshmallow to be too sweet, and I enjoyed the apple tart as well.

Bryan always asks for an amaro or chinato if he's at an Italian restaurant. He has tried many different kinds, so he's always pleasantly surprised if a restaurant has something new he's never had before.

Cheers!

What a special way to cap off a really lovely birthday. It was a long meal, and we were one of the only tables left by the end of the night.

In this current state of the world with its endless travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, it's really really hard to predict where I will be at my next birthday. So I certainly cherish the unusual opportunity to be able to celebrate my birthday in Italy this time around.

Il Palagio Florence
Borgo Pinti, 99,
Firenze, FI 50121
+39 (055) 2626 450

August 21, 2022 Europe

Birthday Weekend in Florence, Italy

Bryan half jokingly said “this year, we went to an Italian restaurant for Bryan’s birthday, and we went to Italy for Jen’s birthday.” Although technically true, of course our fall itinerary just worked out such that we were in Boston for his birthday (and got to celebrate with his best friend), while we were in Europe during my birthday.

A few weeks before my birthday, Bryan said, "I can take a couple days' vacation the weekend surrounding your birthday. You decide where you want to go."

After some contemplation (and also taking into account what was close by yet feasible), I chose to go back to Florence, a city we hadn't visited since our honeymoon in Italy (!).

*Honeymoon in Venice, Italy September 2001.*

[Note: we took FILM physical photos during our honeymoon. Most of these photos - including all of our Florence photos - are in storage in the US at the moment. Soooo, this Venice one will have to suffice for now]

Florence

Florence is a beautiful city that is richly abundant in history, art, and culture. It’s the heart of the Renaissance, after all, and there’s crazy amounts to see and learn. Two days were barely enough to scratch the surface.

The first night after arriving we did a self-guided tour of Florence using Rick Steves' Renaissance Walk (free app, and this particular tour is also free). Although we had visited Florence 20 (!) years ago, we could hardly remember much, so it was helpful to have an overview of the city first.

Florence government building — *Palazzo Vecchio -13th Century Palace*

The weather was crisp and cool, and the walk was pleasant. We followed the path laid out by the tour and just soaked in the city. The walking tour was great because it gave us some background history as well as pointed out interesting tidbits to notice.

*The Duomo di Firenze, Florence's massive cathedral,* sits in the center of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts the largest brick dome in the world.

The Baptistery of St. John, located right across from the cathedral, is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, built in 1128.

Florence's Incredible Museums

The Uffizi

You could spend a week alone just exploring the museums in Florence. When we last visited Florence in 2001, the most famous museum, the Uffizi, was closed to visitors because it had been bombed by the mafia in a 1993 attack. Even though we visited 8 years after that, tenovations were still underway at that time and the museum was largely closed to the public. As such, it was extra special that we could finally see it this time!

The renovations are now complete and the museum is open and bustling, though there are still remnants of the bombing.

"The vault bears the mark of a window blown by the force of the mafia bomb on 27 May 1993."

It's a sober reminder to really treasure the things that we see here.

Some of the world's most famous paintings, such as Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" are here at the Uffizi.

The Accademia - The Statue of David

The Accademia is the museum that houses the statue of David, one of the most incredible statues in Florence.

We both have very clear memories of the first time we saw this statue during our honeymoon. Even though there's a copy of the statue outside in the square, it's nothing compared to the original.

**Bargello National Museum**, housed in a former prison, includes numerous statues from Michelangelo, Donatello, and the like.

We pre-booked tickets for a guided tour of the Duomo Terraces. The views from the top are stunning, and you get to learn some history about the building's various architectural features, which was really fun.

The Food

Florentine Steak at Buca Lapi in Florence

For dinner the first night, we headed to Buca Lapi, recommended by Bryan's Italian co-worker for authentic Tuscan food, including delicious fresh pastas and their famous Florentine Steak!

Florentine steaks are typically very thick-cut, bone-in T-bones or porterhouse steaks cooked with a lovely charred crust and a nice, rare interior.

Lunch at the Central Market + Gelato!

For lunch we visited the Central Market (Mercato Centrale / San Lorenzo) and wandered around. I enjoyed a fantastic artisanal gelato at My Sugar, which is located not too far from the Mercato.

Birthday Dinner at Il Palagio in the Four Seasons

After a long day of museum hopping and walking around, we celebrated my birthday at Il Palagio in the Four Seasons.

The meal was lovely, and I'll write a separate post just on this elegant meal.

Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens

On the last day, we spent a morning exploring the beautiful Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens.

This massive park is beautifully sculptured, and you can get lost meandering through the many tree-lined paths, perfectly shaped bushes, and art pieces spread throughout.

It's a lovely place to spend a few hours.

Last Lunch at Il Profeta

On our last day for lunch, we asked our hotel for recommendations of places close by (since we had a train to catch that afternoon!). We enjoyed a delightful lunch at Il Profeta, a casual and rustic trattoria with a long history and phenomenal service.

The prices were reasonable and the food was very nice. However, it was really the exceptionally warm and friendly service that made the whole experience unique and special.

We loved their famous signature (vegetarian!) pasta that was also John Travolta's favorite (and is now named after him). The sauce is trade secret, and all they will say is that it's vegetarian.

And that's a wrap! After our lunch we headed back to the hotel to grab our bags before catching our train back to Milan.

It was indeed such a special birthday weekend to be able to wander around Florence, enjoy the Chianti region (more on that next!), and revisit a honeymoon spot after so many years.

Hopefully we don't have to wait yet another 20 years to return to this beautiful place.

Planning: 2-day Itinerary for a Weekend in Florence

In case you find it useful, below is our itinerary for Florence. I tried to hit all of the "must see" places, plus added activities that I particularly enjoy, such as climbing buildings (e.g., Duomo Terraces), and incorporating plenty of walking and good food!

During popular seasons (and certainly during times when there are Covid restrictions on absolute numbers of people), it is crucial to pre-book all of your entry tickets. Everything is available online and you can pay for the tickets using your credit card. The online tickets are typically QR codes, which are just emailed to you. It's so much easier and much less stressful if you have all your tickets lined up.

DAY 1
TRAIN FROM MILAN TO FLORENCE
6PM - 7PM Renaissance Walk (get acquainted with city)
7:15PM dinner at Buca Lapi

DAY 2
8:15AM - 11AM: Uffizi Gallery
11:00AM Bargello (statues)
12:00PM Lunch at Mercato Centrale/San Lorenzo
3:30: Duomo Terraces or Duomo Tower
4:15 Duomo Museum
5:30 PM: Accademia (David statue)
7:00PM Dinner at Il Palagio

DAY 3
10:00AM Palazzo Vecchio, walk across Ponte Vecchio to see Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens
12:30PM Casual Lunch in Oltrarno neighborhood or near hotel (Il Profeta)
3:00PM TRAIN OUT OF FLORENCE

Next up, our 1-day tour of the Chianti Wine region! (a day trip to Florence!)

August 16, 2022 Europe

2 Days in Milan, Italy

Although I’ve been to Italy many times, one city I had never really visited was the fashion capital of Milan. The closest I came was in 2015 when we flew to Milan on the way to Piedmont, (including Alba and the wine regions of Barbaresco and Barolo).

This time we stopped in Milan for a few days before heading to the Italian Alps and Florence (more on that later!). We only had a few days in Milan, but spent a weekend visiting the most famous sites.

The Duomo

Our hotel was situated right next to the Duomo, the second largest church in Europe (only the Vatican is bigger).

This massive and incredibly impressive looking church took 600+ years to build, and just takes your breath away when you walk up to it.

We explored the inside of the Duomo and also booked special tickets to explore the Duomo Rooftops. It's a great way to get a different view of Milan and see these spires up close!

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Right next to the Duomo is Italy's oldest shopping mall, the stunning Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I loved walking through this space. It reminded me of the St. Huberts Gallery in Brussels, but this one was significantly grander and more awe-inspiring.

The glass atrium is beautiful, and this covered walkway connects two very famous Milan sites: the Duomo and Teatro alla Scala, Milan's historic and storied opera house.

Teatro alla Scala (Milan's Opera House)

You must go inside the historic Teatro alla Scala to fully appreciated its grandeur. Upon entering, you really feel like you have traveled back in time.

We watched the opera Theodora by Handel, which was in English, though we still relied heavily on the subtitles to know what was going on.

The Last Supper Painting (Il Cenacolo)

One of the most famous paintings to visit in Milan is the Last Supper Painting (Il Cenacolo) by Leonardo Da Vinci. You can see buy a timed ticket (10 minutes!) to see this very fragile painting at the monastery called Santa Maria dell Grazie.

The painting has been through a lot in its 500+ year history.

First of all, it's a fresco painting, which means it's painted directly onto the wall of the building. Fresco paintings are notoriously unstable and easily affected by the elements. This particular painting has been "restored" by different painters several times throughout its history. During World War II, the building badly bombed. Workers digging through the rubble were delighted to discover that the heavily protected painting had mostly survived the bombing.

From 1978-1999, the painting went through yet another 21-year (!) restoration using a variety of modern technologies to determine original paint colors.

I really enjoyed marveling at the painting and learning about its unusual history, even though the actual time for viewing the painting is timed and quite short.

Shopping at Via Monte Napoleone

Our friend who works in fashion (and visits Milan annually to scout out products to import) recommended that we visit Via Monte Napoleone for some shopping. The entire area had a fun vibe, and we did seriously check out some stores (though we ended up not buying anything).

While strolling along, we stumbled upon this fun row of cars parked right near Monte Napoleane.

Castello Sforzesco: Evening Walk Around the City

Castello Sforzesco is a 15th century castle and fort. It is walking distance from the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and is a beautiful place to walk around and explore.

It now houses several museums, though we did not visit the museums since we were here at night (after the museums had closed).

Even without museum tickets, there's still plenty to see in this large park-like area, including outdoor art exhibits, plaques explaining the history or background about various parts of the fort, and just lots of photo-worthy scenes.

For us, since we sort of just "stumbled upon" this fort, the entire experience of exploring it was all the more delightful and surprisingly.

The Food in Milan

We also had our taste of Milanese food, such as Osso Buco Milanese (which is different from the way I make it!), and Milanese risotto. Milanese risotto has a lot of saffron and is thick and creamy. We even tried a crispy risotto with our osso buco, which was amazing!

Since Milan is so close to Alba, we also had our fair share of fresh white truffles, since it happened to be white truffle season!

Milan is fun to visit and is also an amazing launching point for visiting many other parts of Italy. From Milan, we visited Florence, did a day tour of the Chianti wine region, and spent several days at a ski resort in the Italian Alps. More on those trips up next!

August 1, 2022 Boston

Jinny's Pizzeria Newton

Old friends. New digs. Not quite the same, but much nostalgia remains.

We walk in the door of Jinny’s Pizzeria in Newton. Paul, our favorite bartender from Bergamot (R.I.P. 😢) walks up and says hello and gives us a huge hug. It’s been over two years, and the world is a new place. We marvel at Jinny’s Pizzeria, the new pizza joint opened by Chef Lydia Reichert (Paul’s ”better half” as he would say), Chef David Punch and and Shane Smythe (Sycamore, Big Little Diner).

The next thing you know, Bryan‘s enjoying a new version of his old favorite cocktail (the Elisabetta), now in bottled form called ”Dear Elisabetta.”

Jinny's Specialty: The Pizzas

We’ve heard amazing things about the pizzas, so we go ahead and order several. Chef Lydia tells us she spent weeks perfecting the dough, trying various different flour combinations. She was trying to achieve a particular dough quality using local Vermont flour (not Italian flour, which would have been more straightforward).

Though the flour is not from Italy, their massive wood-fired 700° Valoriani oven certainly is. They ordered it from Tuscany right in the middle of the pandemic when (apparently) these ovens were in hot demand all around the world. People wanted their authentic Neapolitan pizzas! If they couldn’t go enjoy it at a restaurant, then they wanted to make their own . . . in their backyard(!). Thankfully, Jinny’s Pizzeria was able to receive their oven in time before the restaurant opened.

Authentic Neapolitan pizza or not, I think Chef Lydia has succeeded, and so do the hundreds of other diners who order take-out or dine-in on a given week.

Lydia tells us that business has been booming. They have done quite well during the pandemic. Sure, pizza is very pandemic-friendly (i.e. delivery friendly) food. But that’s not the only reason. Chef Lydia’s pizzas are genuinely delicious. The crust she has developed is slightly chewy, slightly toasty, and has a really nice flavor. Her weeks of research paid off. Furthermore, the toppings are also spot on.

The Other Stuff - Jinny's Side Dishes

The sides are excellent as well. After all, Chef Lydia is an incredibly talented cook (we know from the days she was executive chef at Sycamore), so it’s no surprise she’s a genius with flavors.

“We have to get the chicken meatballs,” our friend Peter tells us, “they go incredibly well with the Margherita pizza.” We usually trust Peter, who dines here regularly. In some ways, it’s the new reincarnated Bergamot for us, though it’s not quite the same.

Challenges: The Pandemic, Economy, and More

Business has been very good, but they’ve had to make some tough decisions too, as inflation has hit recently. Chef Lydia refuses to jack up prices, and instead has had to make creative changes at times. The shrimp scampi pizza we are enjoying? (which is absolutely delicious, by the way). It was supposed to be a lobster scampi pizza, until the price of lobster shot up to ridiculous amounts.

“I’m not charging $30 a pie.” Lydia’s firm about that. Jinny’s is not that type of restaurant.

”We can find very good wines at all price points.” Paul adds, ”If a wine becomes too expensive, we just swap it out for another one.” I trust Paul. He knows his wines and is extremely talented at scouting out little known producers who make fabulous wines.

Mini Backstage Tour

After we finish eating, Lydia offers to take us on a mini kitchen tour. The back isn't big, but there's a massive mixer for the dough and a huge pile of pizza boxes, ready for the day. When things are busy, they blow through stacks of boxes FAST. It's quite resourceful how they make use of every small space.

We see various bins of dough at different stages of their life journey towards becoming a pizza. Chef Lydia also keeps meticulously labeled bins for all the different raw ingredients. And yes, there are many huge bags of Vermont flour.

Cheers!

We didn't expect to see Dave Punch there as well, which was a pleasant surprise. Dave used to be executive chef at Ten Tables Cambridge, which was just a few minutes from our old Cambridge home.

What an amazing reunion!

We've realized that the restaurant world is a dynamic place, and things can change very, very quickly. The pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon, ravaging through cities and destroying a swath of restaurants in its path.

Yet what we've also realized is that friendships remain even after the restaurant is gone. Of course, we miss Bergamot dearly and will always look fondly back at those memories. But there are new memories to be made, and new stories to tell!

So we're thrilled for both Paul and Lydia. We're thrilled they are working together at the same restaurant, and that the restaurant is doing really, really well. Despite Bergamot closing, we're thrilled there's another amazing restaurant we can visit, time and time again, where we are greeted warmly with a hug, a smile, and an Elisabetta.

Epilogue: Back Again, 2022

Yep, that's right. When we returned in the spring of 2022, Paul had the foresight to prepare several flasks of Bryan's favorite Elisabetta cocktail, even including the orange peel on the side. It was such a thoughtful gesture. Bryan took the keepsake bottle and carried it all the way back to Hong Kong.

We'll keep it displayed as a reminder of our dear friends in Boston.

Cheers!

Jinny's Pizzeria Newton
1231 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459
Wed - Sun, 4:30 - 9PM

July 31, 2022 Hong Kong

Smoke & Barrel Hong Kong

As an intellectual property attorney, it blows my mind that a city of Hong Kong can have two completely unrelated restaurants with virtually the same name (Smoke and Barrel versus Smoke and Barrels), both serving American BBQ, and located in Central. If this happened in the US, one party would certainly be suing the other for trademark infringement, arguing a “likelihood of confusion.”

And yet in Hong Kong, these two BBQ restaurants can happily co-exist, both still doing good business (presumably). If the public gets confused, they’ll sort it out, I guess.

Bryan and I visited Smoke and Barrel, a restaurant in Hong Kong’s Central district specializing in Texas style barbecue. The large restaurant (formerly Flying Elk) has an open kitchen that houses a huge authentic wood-fired smoker imported from Missouri.

The food is very good, definitely on par with excellent BBQ that you’d find in the States.

Shrimp & Grits is a classic Southern favorite, and the one here is very good. The grits are rich and creamy, and include a deeply flavor shrimp ”head” sauce that’s fancier than a typical version I might see in the US.

We enjoyed both the All American Brisket (200g for HKD228 or 400g for HKD418) and the pulled pork. The jalapeno cornbread with honey butter (HKD68) was fantastic and one of my favorites of the night. The Brussels sprouts were fine.

Jalapeno Cornbread

Dessert was soft serve ice cream served with ”de-constructed” waffle cone pieces. I specifically asked for the caramel on the side since I don’t like things that are too sweet.

Smoke & Barrel Hong Kong - General Thoughts

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that Hong Kong would have at least a couple high quality American BBQ places. There’s probably enough Americans here to meet that demand. I found the brisket to be at least as good as the best BBQ I’ve had in Boston. I haven’t had the best BBQ in Texas, so I can’t comment on that comparison. Still, I think the barbecue here is certainly legit, and I’d come here if I had a BBQ craving!

Smoke and Barrel Hong Kong

July 29, 2022 California

Valley Bar + Bottle Sonoma California

The old Harvest Moon, a favorite for regulars in the Sonoma, closed at the end of 2019 after a successful 13 years in business. That excellent space in the middle of The Square at Sonoma is now a new neighborhood wine bar, restaurant, and bottle shop. Similar to the ethos of their predecessor, Valley Bar + Bottle aims to be first and foremost a neighborhood restaurant. They focus on sustainable ingredients and have an ever-rotating menu based on the seasons.

Starters

We came here with a couple friends and ordered a BUNCH of stuff to share. Our friends, who were regulars of Harvest Moon, happily adopted this new places as one of their new regular haunts.

Lettuce with Green Goddess and seeds $16

The food was simple and delicious. They source a lot of excellent produce, and it clearly shows. The cuisine is ”Californian”, though there’s certainly international influences in the food. Certain dishes reminded me of Hong Kong (e.g., XO Sauce Eggs or the Crispy Rice with Ginger Scallion Sauce), while we also saw dishes with a Mexican or Spanish bent (black beans, Romesco sauce, etc.).

Main Dishes

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the steak was. Frankly speaking, I think it was the best steak I had during our 3-month stint in US and Europe. It was nicely aged, very well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly. I most remember its flavor, which was very prominent (“beefy”), and just really really good.

Side Dishes

Our friends’ insisted on requesting their favorite side dish, this simple Crispy Rice with Scallion Ginger Sauce. It reminded me of Hong Kong, sort of like the crispy part of clay pot rice mixed with the scallion ginger sauce that’s ubiquitous in Hong Kong. This version was very good, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

Surprisingly, another favorite was the humble black beans, which were phenomenal. It turns out one of the chefs comes from a Hispanic background (maybe Mexican?), and just knew how to make these deeply flavorful beans.

Desserts

General Thoughts - Valley Bottle + Bar

The place was packed when we went, full of locals and tourists alike. The food is rustic, flavorful, and fresh. They call their food ”California home cooking,” which is very fitting. I’d certainly come back again, especially for the steak, black beans, and crispy rice. Those mourning the loss of Harvest Moon have a great new neighborhood-focused restaurant they can visit on a regular basis.

Valley Bottle + Bar Sonoma
487 1st West
Sonoma, CA 95476

July 24, 2022 California

Robert Sinskey Winery

A hidden gem?

A winery is not the first place I would look to find a really nice lunch. A tasting with some nibbles is already great. Some wineries have restaurants (even quite famous ones). However, Most wineries I’ve visited in Napa Valley and Sonoma only have tasting rooms. Some serve small bites or pairings with their wines. However, I haven’t visited many wineries with a meal + pairing that’s as nice as the one I enjoyed at Robert Sinskey’s Winery restaurant.

The Space

First off, the space itself is gorgeous. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted with high vaulted ceilings, large stone walls, and a gorgeous bar plus a few scattered high top tables. This must be where a lot of the smaller wine tastings can be done. Walk further in, and there’s a warm fireplace, which completes the cozy yet spacious feel of the tasting room.

The tasting room at Robert Sinskey Winery is gorgeous

The Food

But it’s the food that differentiates this place. Robert Sinskey’s wife Maria Sinskey is the culinary director at the winery. She’s set up a number of different culinary experiences that are paired with Robert Sinskey wines. These range from small bites and bento boxes to a full 5-course “Perfect Circle Chef’s Table” experience paired with RSV’’s finest wines and library vintages.

We did the Perfect Circle Chef’s tasting, which started with a tour of the winery where we learned all about the winery’s biodynamic / certified organic winemaking process. We learned about the founder, Robert Sinskey (current owner’s father, same name), who was a well known ophthalmologist and eye surgeon. There are eye-themed motifs throughout the winery.

After an educational tour, we sat down in the fireplace room to enjoy a lovely 5-course menu with 6 different special wines.

SLD Estate garden tomatoes, cucumbers, labne, za'atar

SLD Estate garden tomatoes, cucumbers, labne, and za'atar paired with Robert Sinskey Orgia, Los Carneros 2016.

Tarte FlambéSLD Estate Tromboncino Summer Squashand Preserved Meyer Lemon, Sweet Red Onion,Crème Fraîche, Garden Herbs

Tarte Flambé topped with SLD Estate Tromboncino summer squash and preserved Meyer lemon, sweet red onion, crème fraîche, and garden herbs paired with Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard, Los Carneros 2017.

Handmade Ricotta GnocchiWood Fire Oven Roasted SLD Estate Garden Tomatoes,Thyme, Datterino Italian Tomatoes

Handmade ricotta gnocchi wood-fire oven roasted SLD Estate garden tomatoes, thyme, and Datterino Italian tomatoes paired with Pinot Noir, Four Vineyard, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2016

Roasted RSV LambJimmy Red Grits, SLD Estate Thumbelina CarrotsCapa Vineyard Pomegranate, Lamb Jus

Roasted Liberty Farm’s Sonoma duck, RSV orchard figs, garden beans， fig and mustard seed duck jus paired with Marcien, Proprietary Red, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2012 and 2013 (one of each).

SLD Estate Vineyard caramelized heirloom pear and Frangipane tart salted brown sugar caramel ice cream paired with Pinot Gris Late, Los Carneros,, Napa Valley, 2018.

General Thoughts - Food and Wine Pairing at Robert Sinskey’s Perfect Circle Chef Table

What a unique and fun tasting! I really, really enjoyed this meal. In fact, it was up there in quality with many fine and well-known restaurants in the greater Napa Valley area. To me, since it’s inside a vineyard and doesn’t really have a separate restaurant name, it’s easy to miss. After all, this is not a restaurant. It’s a wine tasting paired with really, really good food. I like to think of it as a hidden find. The tour plus the wine tasting meal is a real treat, and would be a great way to celebrate a special occasion or hold an important business meal.

The Perfect Circle 5-Course (6 wine) Chef’s Tasting is $225pp. There are other priced options, such as the more casual 3-course (6 wine) Eat Drink Tasting ($125pp), Root to Table tasting with a Board of nibbles ($95pp), or the Flight of Five ($50).

All in all, I highly recommend coming here, and I would not hesitate to come back for another meal.

Robert Sinskey Winery
6320 Silverado Trail Napa CA 94558

July 21, 2022 Maine

Weekend Trip to Portland and Freeport Maine

I was on the hunt for really good fall foliage.

New England is famous for its fall foliage, but we arrived in Boston in September, just a tad too early for Boston's peak season. Thus I had secret high hopes that we could see something in Maine. We didn’t have time to drive super far north (where it was peak season), so instead we compromised by going to Portland, Maine, which is about a two-hour drive north from Boston.

Portland Maine is also a foodie haven, and lots of people make the trip purely for the food. We decided spend a day in Portland and a day in Freeport. We booked our favorite restaurants, discovered new ones, and hiked a few trails.

Even though the foliage wasn’t anywhere close to peak season (yet!), we still had a lovely trip. My incorrect assumptions about this being my only opportunity to see foliage would later be corrected. I was delighted to later see incredible foliage in both northern California and also in Europe.

Here’s a trip recap!

Lunch at Eventide

Eventide is one of the most popular restaurants in Portland. They have a great selection of local fresh seafood, creative and delicious Asian-inspired dishes, and fun beers. It’s walk-in only, so we showed up as early as possible (11AM!) to stand in line for the first seating.

It was cooooold outside, but the large outdoor tent was where guests were dining due to Covid concerns. We bundled up, sat near the heat lamps, and still thoroughly enjoyed the delicious soup. The hot clam chowder tasted especially good!

Dinner at Central Provision

I’ve been to Central Provision once or twice, and I have always loved it. It is extremely popular and also really difficult to book. We were thankful to be able to obtain a really early booking. Because of Covid, Central Provision had taken over a large part of the outdoor area next to the restaurant and converted it into a huge multi-level patio.

It was extremely pleasant to sit out on the patio and watch the sunset while enjoying the meal. As the sun set, it got colder, so we were actually quite thankful to have such an early timeslot for dinner.

As always, the food was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. I especially loved the blue tuna with caviar, marcona almonds, green garlic gazpacho, and purple shiso.

Bryan was thrilled to discover this 2015 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny, a lovely red wine (mostly caberbet franc with a touch of cabernet sauvignon and pinot d'aunis) from the Loire Valley. The shop owner had procured it for a really, really good price, and was passing on that price to the diners. Bryan noticed they were selling it for below retail, and thus snapped it up. Enjoying this fabulous wine on the patio made the evening even more special.

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park

We headed to Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park for an afternoon of hiking. The views of the ocean were spectacular, and we did manage to see a tiny bit of fall foliage, though it was still a bit too early!

Hiking Bradbury Mountain

The next morning we drove out to Freeport. We decided we would hike Bradbury Mountain in the morning and then head to the city for some shopping in the afternoon (Freeport is known for its outlet shops as well).

We chose a nice a relatively short 2 mile hike to the summit. There were some clouds in the sky, but thankfully it did not rain!

From the top of the mountain, we could see tiny patches of red and orange that were appearing in the vast forested mountain below. However, clearly we were too early. I can only imagine how stunning it would look in about 2-3 weeks.

We met some really nice hikers at the top who offered to take a few photos for us. When they found out we were from Hong Kong, they touched their hearts and say, “our hearts really go out to the Hong Kong people. It has been tough for you all. Please know that we support you.”

Seafood + Shopping in Freeport

The world’s largest L.L. Bean Store sits in the center of Freeport. It’s a fun store to explore and it has a HUGE selection of all sorts of hiking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor gear.

Although Freeport is more known for shopping than food, we were pleasantly surprised at the incredible quality of the seafood at Jameson Tavern in Freeport. The restaurant is self-proclaimed ”one of the oldest operating taverns in Maine” and has been operating since 1779. The food’s casual but good.

The pan seared scallops salad was incredibly reasonably priced ($17 for this plate), and the scallops were as good as the best scallops I’ve ever had. I couldn’t finish it (there were soooooo many scallops), and I felt so bad leaving some of them. Oh why did I eat so many fried clams?

I really enjoyed our weekend getaway trip to Portland and Freeport Maine. Although we didn’t get to really see peak season foliage, we got to enjoy the city when it was less crowded. We still got to taste fantastic food and hike some really pretty trails. All in all, the trip included my two favorite activities: hiking and eating!

Cheers!

July 8, 2022 California

The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil

Every since I moved to Hong Kong, seeing friends from the US has not been nearly as easy. Add on top of that a two (going on three) year pandemic, I truly cherish any chance I have to see old friends.

My best friend from college lives in San Francisco. Back when I lived in Boston we managed to see each other almost annually. However, since Covid, it’s been years since I’ve seen her. So, when the opportunity to meet in Napa materialized, I was determined to find a really nice place for our lunch. After all, she was the one driving over an hour to meet me. The least I could do was treat her to a nice lunch. Key requirements: good food and phenomenal views.

The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil, the more casual outpost of the very famous Michelin starred Restaurant Auberge du Soleil.

Auberge du Soleil is a collection of ultra luxury resorts with locations around the world. In Napa, the more famous Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil (which has one Michelin star) is often booked out solid for weeks on end. It’s difficult to book at the last minute, especially during peak season on a Saturday. However, I was thankful that the Bistro at Auberge du Soleil was much easier to book. Better yet, it also has a lovely terrace and shares equally stunning views of the valley.

Smoked Salmon Tartine, fromage Blanc, lemon - $17.00, Oysters on the Half Shell $4.25 each — The food is a bit more casual, with some seafood starters, salads, soups, flatbreads, sandwiches, and the like. It’s a small menu, but everything seems to be made with high quality, fresh ingredients. It’s perfect for lunch, in my opinion.

Starters to Share

Smoked Salmon Tartine, fromage Blanc, lemon - $17.00

Main Course

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, little gem lettuce, pickled ginger, abovado, soba — For my entree, I had a Japanese inspired grilled yellowfin tuna ”avocado toast” with little gem lettuce. On the side was a small bowl of soba noodles with scallions and pickled ginger.

Fish of the day (halibut), claims with bacon, carrots, — My friend enjoyed the pan-seared ”Fish of the Day”, which was halibut, servied with clams, bacon, and carrots.

The weather was perfect and the views were breathtaking. We sat under the sun, enjoying fresh Californian food while catching up on conversations long overdue. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that good friendships are hard to come by, and they don’t develop overnight. I cherish my old friends, and I certainly cherished our lunch on this beautiful patio.

The food was fine. Not the best there is in Napa, but still pretty enjoyable. It’s a bit expensive for what it offers, but perfectly reasonable for a 5-star Relais & Chateaux resort.

At the end of the day, I was more there for the space and the environment. For that, the experience was top notch. The food was fine and the views were spectacular. After all, it’s hard to put a price on the ability to dine in that environment. Our lunch was special and memorable. I’d certainly come back again in a heartbeat.

Bistro at Auberge du Soleil Napa
180 Rutherford Hill Road
Rutherford, California

July 6, 2022 Europe

Le Baudelaire - Paris France

It’s rare that you have a meal where everything goes perfectly right. Even at the finest restaurants, there’s may be a course that’s you don’t like, timing of service that’s a bit off, or just too much (or too little) food. Last year, a seasoned gourmand and regular traveler to Paris recommended Le Baudelaire to us. He wrote “[t]he food never disappoints and the course menu has no misses ever, which is a wonderfully welcome characteristic.”

After our dinner at Le Baudelaire, all I can say is that I completely agree.

...

June 27, 2022 Europe

La Dame de Pic - Paris France

The Pic family is legendary in France. Their website motto of “3 Generations, 3 Stars” describes the immense success this family of chefs has attained throughout the past century. Chef Andre Pic, his son Jacques Pic, and granddaughter Anne Sophie Pic have all obtained 3 Michelin stars while running the family restaurant, despite two world wars and their own meandering career changes.

Chef Anne Sophie Pic initially studied business but returned to the family restaurant in 1997. After 10 years Maison Pic in Valence obtained three Michelin Stars. The PIC group has expanded on that success, opening up additional restaurants that have all been quite successful, including restaurants in Paris, Lausanne, London, and Singapore. Many of these have also achieved one or two Michelin stars.

Chef Anne Sophie Pic is considered one of the best chefs in the world, and awarded ”World’s Best Female Chef” by 50Best in 2011. She loves coaxing and taming harsher flavors, such as bitter, acidic, roasted, and smoked.

We dined at her 1-Michelin starred restaurant La Dame de Pic, which she calls “a taste of Valence.” The food is creative, elegant, and overall very good.

...

June 25, 2022 Europe

Pertinence Paris France

Nestled in a small street near the Eiffel Tower lies Pertinence. This is where Ryunosuke Naito (Nagoya Japan) and Kwen Liew (Malaysia) run a tiny restaurant serving just a handful lucky guests per night. What’s most impressive is that the entire restaurant is just the two of them. Chef-owners Naito and Liew take turns between the kitchen and the front of the house.

The couple met while working as chefs in Paris. After gaining experience at different types of restaurants in Paris, they decided to set out and open their own in 2017. Even they were shocked when they received a Michelin star the following year. Liew became the first Malaysian woman ever to be recognized by Michelin, and that year, she was only one of two women chefs on the list.

On the day we went, there were only six diners present. Us and one other table of four. That made for a very intimate and cozy experience, and we enjoyed it immensely. That day, Naito served us, while Liew was in the kitchen.

The Tasting Menu

The Underground Wine Cellar

One really fun and unique feature of the restaurant is the underground wine cellar.

It was so cool to watch Naito go down and fetch us the bottle of wine that we had ordered.

Seafood

scallop w/ laksa sauce, carrots! sous vide big one, raw slices

The food is creative and draws inspiration from all over the globe. For instance, our first course clearly incorporated Malaysian ingredients, a perfectly seared scallop served with laksa sauce! Various interpretations of carrots surrounded the scallop, including sous vide carrots and paper thin slices of rainbow carrots. Such artistic plating!

A French lobster came with artichoke, Spanish jamon Iberico, and bellota foam.

The ”Croute” (Meat Course)

Bryan loves all kinds of ”croutes”, such as the pithivier from Bozar and the beef Wellington from Gordon Ramsey.

This mini-croute was perfectly executed and a nice way to finish the meal.

Cheese Course

Dessert

Some final sweet endings.

General Thoughts - Pertinence Paris

I’m really impressed with the food and overall experience at Pertinence. It’s crazy to imagine how hard the two chefs must work to pull off this level of food themselves.

They serve both lunch and dinner, which means their days are very, very long. At lunchtime you can get a 3-course meal for 55€ or a 4-course meal for 80€. Dinner there’s either the 6-course for 120€ or the 7-course for 185€. The whole table must get the same tasting.

There is also an a la carte menu, but since we didn’t go that route, I don’t know much about it.

We got the 7-course, and I was definitely really full near the end. I may have even given Bryan some of my croute at the end (since he loves those anyway and I was really stuffed!). All in all, we enjoyed our meal a lot. It certainly deserves its Michelin star and multiple other accolades.

Bonus: the ability to walk over and say hello to the Eiffel Tower before heading home.

Pertinence Paris
29 rue de l’Exposition, 75007 Paris

June 10, 2022 California Trip Report

Napa Valley Trip Report

I have a lot of nostalgic memories for California’s wine region, having visited Napa and Sonoma virtually every year before moving to Hong Kong. From covering the Almost Famous Chef Competitions to media and business trips, I feel like I know the region really well.

But obviously the pandemic put a halt to all travel for close to 2 years. Living in Hong Kong made it even harder to visit. So, when Bryan said he had a work conference in Napa in the fall of 2021, I immediately told him I really wanted to come along.

I’m so thankful it worked out! We caught up with some of our close friends in the Bay Area and even attended a black tie gala (first time in 8 years). I had to rush out and buy a last minute dress!

The fall colors were stunning this time of year, and we savored some magnificent wines and food.

We stayed at the Silverado Resport & Spa, and spent quiet mornings jogging along the beautiful golf course.

I didn’t expect to see such beautiful foliage in Napa Valley, but we arrived during peak season to stunning colors everywhere. Recent rains also brought green hills, which was unusual this time of year.

*Yountville, The garden at The French Laundry*

It’s been over 10 years since we ate at The French Laundry and wandered around its impeccable garden. This time we re-visited the newly renovated space (just to take a look) and walked around the garden again. The garden feels pretty similar, though the new building looks amazing. Fall season means there were pumpkins!

Memorable Meals

My best friend (and roommate) from college drove up from San Francisco to meet me for lunch. We enjoyed great conversation and lunch overlooking expansive views of vineyards at The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil.

I really think the tasting menu at Robert Sinskey Vineyards is a hidden gem in Napa. I’d never heard of it, but a friend treated us to a fantastic meal there. The food is excellent, the space is beautiful, and the wines are delicious. We took a quick tour of the winery beforehand, which was informational and fun.

Other great food memories include fantastic seafood at Hog Island Oyster, rustic French food at Angèle Restaurant, excellent wine and food at Compline Wine Bar and Restaurant, and my favorite TKOs from Bouchon Bakery. We enjoyed a fantastic steak at Valley Bottle and Bar in Sonoma (in the former Harvest Moon location). We got our Pliny the Elder fix when we got wind that the Marriott in Napa serves it on tap. We made a quick stop, sat at the hotel bar, and enjoyed a glass of our favorite West Coast beer.

*Rustic, farm to table food at Compline Wine Bar*

We had a ”it’s a small world” moment when we learned that the our server at Compline used to live in Boston and was good friends with our restaurant friends at Bergamot.

Finally, we learned about the history of two wineries: Stag’s Leap and Stags’ Leap, and how an apostrophe makes all the difference.

One Unfortunate Event

We did hit a snafu during the San Francisco portion of our trip. Thieves broke into our rental car (smashed our windows in broad daylight!) and stole our luggage.

Thankfully we were safe and we weren’t in the car. We spent a frantic day reporting to the police and re-buying critical items before our flight (the next day!) to Europe. Miraculously, a good Samaritan spotted our bags later that day and turned them into the police. Although all the valuables had been picked clean, we at least recovered the bags, some IDs, and our clothing. A HUGE shoutout to the Richmond police, who went out of their way to help us recover our items on their day off.

Despite that unfortunate event, we still had a good trip. I was so thankful to be able to visit Napa again, especially considering how much harder it is for us to go there (from Hong Kong) during these pandemic times. More importantly, we cherished the time we had catching up with old friends, and we are very thankful that we stayed safe and healthy the entire time.

Traveling During Covid - Our Three Month Trip Around the World
Visiting Family in Las Vegas During Covid
All Napa Posts
All Sonoma Posts
All San Francisco Posts

May 29, 2022 London

36 Hour Stopover in London

London is one of those cities of which I never tire. Although I've been there numerous times (I used to go every year for work), every time I went back I would revisit my favorite streets, squares, and shops. During our whirlwind US/Europe trip in the fall of 2021, London was our stop-over city. We flew in and out of Heathrow, stopping through and saying hello to London TWICE while passing through on the way to cities in Europe, such as Brussels or Paris.

What does one do on a 36-hour stopover in London?

We stayed at the **St. Pancras Renaissance**, a lovely, lovely hotel (highly recommended!). It is located right at St. Pancras train station, so it's amazingly convenient if you are taking the Eurostar here (from, e.g., Brussels or Paris). The lobby incorporates parts of the beautiful train station exterior, and you can take an elevator directly into the train station without even stepping outside. I enjoyed a lovely brunch in this airy and spacious lobby. When I tried to come back in the evening to meet a colleague for drinks, they told me it was fully booked. I didn't even know you had to book this place. Mental note: make a reservation next time!

Covent Garden

During our first visit, we arrived in London in the morning and had a few hours to kill before our train to Brussels in the evening. We decided to walk around Covent Garden and perhaps find some lunch.

Din Tai Fung Covent Garden London

This is where we broke down and had our first Chinese restaurant meal in over 6 weeks (*at Din Tai Fung, no less*!). The decor was beautiful, and this DTF was a bit more upscale, offering cocktails and some dishes we hadn't seen on other menus. We stuck with the basics, ordering various types of dumplings. Though it hit the spot and was very enjoyable, the overall quality was supbar to the ones in Hong Kong (and it was more expensive!).

The River Cafe

We had one nice meal in London, an Italian outdoor dinner at The River Cafe. Situated right on the Thames River, this Italian restaurant from Ruth Rogers has been around for 35 years and is famous for training up several well-known British chefs, such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (River Cottage), April Bloomfield (Spotted Pig, Breslin Bar & Dining), Theo Randall and Jamie Oliver.

London’s the type of place where it’s easy to stop by for just a short amount of time. If you need to take the train somewhere, I highly recommend staying near St. Pancras station. It’s super convenient, and there’s a lot of fun stuff to do right around that area, such as jog along Regent Canal or shop/eat at Coal Drop Yard.

The next day we hopped onto the Eurostar and took the 2-hour journey to Brussels, our next stop. Good-by London, until we meet again!

May 28, 2022 Belgium

A Day Trip to Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerp sort of holds a unique place in my heart. I had never even heard of the city, but it welcomed me with open arms when Bryan and I got stuck in Belgium on 9/11 back in 2001. We were flying back to the US from our honeymoon in Italy on 9/11 when the US closed all airspace entering the country. Our plane, from now defunct Belgian carrier Sabena Airlines, turned around and landed in Brussels.

Despite the horrific circumstances, the airline was especially kind to the passengers. They took such good care of us, providing a shuttle bus and paying for our hotel stay in Antwerp, a city 45 minutes away from Brussels. My memory of Antwerp from that time is virtually non-existent (that whole experience was quite a stressful blur), yet I will never forget the kindness of the Belgians during this time of extreme anguish for the American people.

I haven't visited Antwerp since that time 20+ years ago. This time around, during a weekend when Bryan was away in Germany on a business trip, I decided to take a solo trip to revisit Antwerp, the second largest metropolitan region in Belgium, and the largest city-center in the country.

...